In the Blood
by arry73
Summary: When you stumble across a vampire who has lost his memory, you run...right? - Eric/OC
1. Chapter 1: You Found Me

**Hope you all like this :) Sorry about the editing (I try my best but...)**

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**Chapter One - You Found Me**

_"Lost and insecure_

_You found me, you found me_

_Lyin' on the floor_

_Surrounded, surrounded..."_

- The Fray

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"Shit…"

"Are you sure?"

"Laura. I said 'shit'" Ada rarely swore, she widened her eyes at her best friend to convey her seriousness.

"Well, shit" Laura muttered, running a hand back through her brown hair. "What are you gonna do Ada?"

"I don't know." Ada shook her head at the ground, running a tally of what her life had become. Already drowning in student loans that she did not even know how to begin to pay. Check. Working thanklessly at 'reception' at the 'Eager Beaver', the sleaziest strip club in town. Check. Studio apartment, complete with moldy ceiling corners, rotting wallpaper, a leaking fridge and a skeezy redneck landlord. Check. A brother who had stolen their father and mother's life insurance. Check. Almost twenty and left pregnant by a jackass. Check. "Motherfucking shit…" Ada mumbled leaning over the grimy sink of the rarely sanitary bathroom in the Eager Beaver, the positive pregnancy test sat under the faucet taunting her. "I why did I do this before work? Remind me." she tried pulling herself together, in the reflection of her green eyes in the bathroom mirror she tried looking for herself "I have to go out there and pretend to have legs now."

"Hey!" Laura smiled wryly, supportively slapping Ada's shoulder "at least you ain't gotta dance Ada. Just sit your ass on that little stool in your booth and remember to breathe." It was true she was no dancer at 5'4'' and a hapless case on heels Ada was lucky to have a job at the Eager Beaver at all. Bobby, the owner, had given in to her tearful last-hope speech, he said her weeping reminded him uncannily of his little sister, who had disappeared with some vampire boyfriend three years earlier. That did not mean he could pay Ada any more than he did, and it certainly did not make the club any less sleazy but it was a job close enough to her rancid home at the edge of river just before Bossier City , and close enough to the Southern University at Shreveport, the cheapest university she'd been accepted to.

"Breathe…" Ada gasped trying to fill her lungs, nearly choking on the stale taste of balmy Southern air that was being swirled through the crappy ventilation system in the club. "I think I'm gonna vomit" Ada gathered her long light brown hair into a ponytail at her neck as she ran to dry heave into one of the two dirty toilet bowls. Laura rubbed her back trying in vain to ease Ada. The heat was not helping with the spins Ada was getting. Even in November it would not let up, this place was no Portland and Ada would give anything to be back in that cold familiar rain. 'Oh god!' Now that her mother was gone, all Ada wanted was her advice. "How did I get here?" She finally threw up.

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Her shift ended at five in the morning, she waited around until 5:30 to lock up and catch the number 7 to the street that lead back to her apartment. The buses that ran this early would only go along the main roads, and though it was not her favourite thing to do Ada would usually take the convenient back alleys to get back home. She found that if she walked fast enough and kept her eyes fixed on her apartment building it was generally an ok path to take.

But this night something had been off. Whether it was because of her news or just something in the atmosphere she couldn't tell. Ada just knew that something was not quite right.

She could feel cool eyes on the back of her neck. There was no noise behind her, but the feeling of being watched stayed with Ada as she hastened her pace determined not to look back. Mostly because she was scared of what she might see.

There was a sudden clang of falling garbage cans that nearly made Ada jump out of her skin. Instinctively she turned, the sun would not come up for another few hours and the moon still hung shining in the sky. The silver bars of light in the alleyway showed some trash cans being kicked out of a side lane. The unmistakable sound of loud drunken men caused Ada's blood to run faster through her veins. Almost immediately she turned back to her route and tried to move as quietly and quickly as she could down the straight, increasingly long alley.

"Hey honey!" She was not trying to be quiet anymore, breaking out into a full sprint. Ada damned her height, and her relatively small gait as the men's voices got closer "Where you runnin' to baby?" one of them grabbed at the strap of her bag. She immediately let the bag drop from her shoulder to keep moving, but it was no use. These were not the eyes that had been on her before, these new eyes had a burn that hurt her. Some of the faster men were already stopped in front of her, causing Ada to skid to a halt.

She looked frantically behind her, seeing that there were five of them pot-bellied, bearded with mullets. As ridiculous as they should have looked to Ada, as she backed up against the wall of the alley, trapped, she did not find them particularly funny. In fact she was shaking, she could hear herself begin to whimper, she had nothing, no way out, no way to defend her small frame. Her arms wrapped protectively around her stomach, she curled into herself, squeezing her green eyes shut trying to ready herself for whatever would come first.

She was surprised as a swish of wind breezed by her, followed by the sound of screaming, running, splattering and sickening crunching. Ada had not known how it had happened but when she opened her eyes she found herself crouching, not standing, against the wall with her arms around her head. It took her a minute to realize the sounds were not in her head and another minute to match the sounds with what she was seeing.

All five of the men had been caught before they could run all the way away. Four sat sniveling on the ground, bleeding from their heads, staring just as wide-eyed as Ada at what was happening. Ada began opening her mouth to speak but no sound came out. The fifth man was being held off of the ground by the single-handed grasp of a vampiric giant with short tousled ash-blonde hair. He may not have exactly been a giant but he was clearly over 6 feet tall and his obvious strength, not to mention the long fangs he had barred, made him seem impossibly larger.

So many things were not making sense to Ada at that moment. 'Who was this guy? Why was he shirtless? Where were his shoes? Why was he covered in dirt? Would he kill her too?'

The vampire seemed about ready to lunge forward to attack the neck of the man clasped in his right hand.

"Don't kill him!" Ada had suddenly found her voice, she slapped her hands over her mouth, unsure of why she had foolishly drawn attention to herself.

The blonde vampire's eyes slid down to her, Ada felt a sensation of peace wash through her. Her arms fell limp to her side, his cool gaze was like the ocean on her skin, though she had never see the man before she recognized the feel of those blue eyes. Those were the silent eyes that had been watching her earlier.

The vampire dropped the man. His blue eyes snapped to each of the men on the ground all of who became intently focused on the giant. "You will forget the past thirty minutes, you did not see me, you did not see her, you did not even come to this part of town" he punctuated each stipulation with a nod at the men, though it was harsh, something in his voice made Ada's insides melt. "Understand?" he nodded and the men mimicked "Off you run…" and off they did run, their eyes empty as though nothing had happened.

Ada became hyperaware of her state in the alley with a huge vampire. She tried fading into the wall behind her, avoiding meeting the vampire's gaze. Eventually enough time had passed that she was sure he had left, but when she lifted her green gaze she found him still standing there. She wrapped her arms defensively around her stomach again. Though he eyes had changed they had gone from hard to vulnerable, he looked almost fearful of her, which she found ironic as red blood dripped from his chin.

"Ar-are you going to kill me?"

He shook his blonde head. Something about his lost stare and questioning expression reminded Ada of a helpless boy. It filled her with an urge to comfort him.

"Do you know me?" He asked. Ada shook her head, his voice was no longer cold, now it was shaky and hesitant. He spoke again is some language she did not understand.

"I don't understand that… wha….who are you?" she practically stammered out.

His expression shifted slightly, he put on the stare that had made the other men so compliant before "Do you know me? Answer truthfully."

Ada's brow furrowed in confusion. "I did answer truthfully. Who are you? Why are you staring at me like that?"

Now his confusion showed "You can't feel my influence?' Ada shrugged, unclear on what he meant. "Touch your head." He commanded in a curious tone, Ada waited unmoving, wondering what on Earth he was doing. "You do not know me…" he muttered more to himself than to her.

"Who are you?" Ada tried again.

"I-" He stared at her for a moment, his blue eyes so open and uncertain "I don't know" the honesty in his voice and countenance made Ada believe him. She thought over what to say to such an assertion, but he continued speaking "It… all I know is I followed the only familiar thing to me. The smell, the scent of you. I was led right to you…."

"But I've never met you. I've never met any vampires" Ada stopped herself, shaking her head "this isn't happening Ada. This whole day has been a nightmare" she closed her eyes opening them to see the lost blonde vampire still staring blankly at her. She took a deep breath trying to force herself to calm down and act rationally. Picking her bag off the ground she asked "Do you remember anything?"

He shook his head, beginning to speak in that other language again.

"English, please" she pressed.

He immediately switched, though his gaze remained distracted searching for his past "Maybe the sea, the feeling of being emptied out… your scent…"

As she let the shock of the events ebb out of her, Ada took more of him in. She tentatively moved closer to him, though she made sure to keep a good distance between their bodies. Against his chest she noticed a metal chain with a ring hanging off of it. "Is…" she cleared her throat when her voice caught "is that anything?" she nodded at his bare chest.

He looked down at the chain, lifting the ring contemplatively to his face as though he had just realized it had been hanging around his neck. He read the words he a found on the band aloud in his foreign language.

"Pardon?" Ada asked.

"It's roughly says 'To Eric my son.'…"

"Is that you? Are you Eric?" He shrugged "well does it sound familiar at least?" he shrugged. ''How about your pockets?"

He rustled through the pockets of his dirty black jeans "Nothing" he sighed sounding defeated.

She could feel his blue eyes pierce through her, making her feel bare. She had no other ideas, but decided that she should speak to break the odd quiet "Um, thank you." He frowned "You saved me…" he nodded "I guess…" she sighed, baffled herself by what she was about to say "… I can return the favour. If you promise not hurt me" he nodded slowly, she could see trust building in his eyes it was almost unfairly endearing "Ok. Let's find you a shirt and some shoes and then we can see if anyone's looking for a tall amnesiac vampire…" She couldn't hold back the laugh that escaped her "of all the things I never thought I'd say…"

He raised a blonde eyebrow at her. Silence followed as they began walking down the alley, until he spoke again softly "I am grateful for this…"

"Um, yeah…"

"You should know you smell very, very, very good to me…like a dream."

"Ah…thank you?" Ada wanted to shake herself. 'How did I get here? I'm not meant to be so blindly stupid…' She shook her head in disbelief at her own idiocy as she led what was basically a strange killer off the street back to her home.

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**Let me know what you think.**


	2. Chapter 2: Somebody

**Hope you like it so far!**

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**Chapter Two - Somebody**

_"...lost my senses_

_ Spinning through the town_

_Sooner or later the fever ends_

_And I wind up feeling down..."_

- Whitney Houston

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She jangled around her bag for her keys. Her phone lit up, playing Whitney Houston's "I Wanna Dance with Somebody" which was Laura's idea of an appropriate ringtone. There was the sound of a click and hiss, Ada jumped at the unquestionable noise of fangs as she hastily found her keys and showed the blonde giant the phone she picked out of her bag.

"It's just a phone" she widened her green eyes, nodding and trying to use a calming tone though her voice was shaky. Those fangs were anything but easy to think around.

"I know what it is" he eyed the phone with disdain as it started ringing again "the sound it is making is not good…"

Ada had to chuckle, she sympathized "It grows on you" she said before finally answering the ringing phone.

"Took yah long enough." She heard Laura's annoyed voice on the other end of the line.

"Laura it's…"Ada looked at the time on the phone's screen as she turned to open her door "Christ! It's past 6!" Some additional concern hit Ada, the sun would rise in about an hour…

"Sorry. Just wantin' tah make sure you weren't hangin' from your shower rod…"

Light from the hallway spilled into her unlit apartment, falling on the unmade bed against the wall across from her front door "That thing would snap in two seconds, it's barely hold up the curtain hanging there now…" Ada joked as she walked into her dark apartment, dropping her bag and coat on the ground as she went.

"Thought 'cha might not be gettin' any sleep… didn' mean tah wake yah…"

"It's fine, I'm fine…" Ada walked toward the right wall where her kitchenette was, so she could turn on the only working light in her apartment. The only one other than the light in the bathroom and her bedside lamp, well more mattress side lamp. The single source of natural light in the apartment was a window on the left wall, across from the kitchenette "I appreciate it, now get some sleep." Ada flicked on the light.

"Fine, love yah doll."

"Yeah you too" Ada smiled ending the call, turning back to face the door "Sorry about the mes…" her green eyes land on the blonde's huge shadowy form still looming in the doorway, the light from the hall backlighting his golden hair made looking even more unearthly than he already was, his blue eyes were watch her expectantly and she felt twitchy under his gaze "why are you just standing there?"

"You must invite me in."

"Oh! That's really a thing?" Ada had heard the hearsay but as she looked him over it seemed strange that she would have any power over such a powerful and deadly being. He nodded. "Wow… so you remember how to be a vampire and what a phone is, you just…"

"Don't know who I am." He finished for her, his eyes focused directly on hers. It took a moment for Ada to realize that they had been standing in such a state for a spell of time.

She blushed, slightly jostling her head to reprimand herself "I guess I shoul… oh wait!" Ada exclaimed suddenly very proud of herself, the giant's crystal eyes filled wearily with confusion. "Please come in Bob?"

"Who is Bob?" he raised his brow in question.

"Never mind about that. Can you get in?"

He didn't move "No…"

"Are you even trying?" Ada asked doubtfully.

"I am, but in truth I cannot even really try to…"

"Ok. Please come in Eric." She almost applauded with happiness when he stumbled forward through her door. "Well, now we know your name."

Eric looked back at the now empty doorway "Yeah" he muttered, picking up on her more modern colloquialisms. He closed and locked the door before facing her again.

In that silent minute it occurred to Ada that she had a vampire in her apartment. She was alone with a vampire. Alone with a vampire, who had saved her. Whose dirty, muddy feet were covering her carpet with filth. Her home may not have been tidy but she tried, often in vain, to keep it as clean as she could. She cringed at the thought of even more grime in her house.

"Just wait there." Ada walked to the door next to the kitchen, and just beside her bed/mattress, that lead to the small bathroom. She kept clean towels in the cabinet below her sink, but she was not reaching for them. She found two dirty towels in the laundry basket next to the sink and turned on the hot water for the bathtub, plugging the drain before she left so that it would fill with warm water.

She was taken aback by the fact that he had done as she asked and literally not moved at all "I have these" Ada lay the towels out before him. End to end they reached the bathroom, "Just step on these and you can clean your feet, and yourself for that matter…" she spoke as she crouched. There was another gust of wind and he was standing by her and bathroom door before she could think. Ada looked up at him, from her lower perspective he looked even more gigantic. If it was not for the vulnerability and sense of loss in his eyes Ada would have been terrified. But there was also something else in his intent stare, it made her uncomfortable to be the focus of such intense observation. She averted her gaze back to the towels "Hmm…I guess I'll just pick these up then…" she went about gathering up the towels, all the while completely aware of his eyes following her as she moved.

Ada stood, moving quickly and avoiding eye contact with him. She bustled by him, returning the towels to her laundry pile and turning off the water in the nearly full tub "I drew it for you to wash your feet, but you can bathe now I guess… or shower if you want. Just… Holy cheese cakes!" she had turned and practically ran out of her skin. He had moved quietly to be within a hair breath behind her, she almost fell back into the tub in surprise but his cold hands grabbed her bare arms. She shivered in part because of the cold but also because of the touch itself. She felt a surge of electric energy run through her entire body.

His eyes scanned hers, "I apologize for scaring you…" she saw his nose flare as he took in a deep inhale, before let his grip of her go.

"Um… That's fine" Ada took in a deep breathe. 'That's fine because I am obviously an idiot with a death wish,' she thought to herself. "Just ah maybe watch your personal boundaries and make some noise when you move…" she suggested.

"I will try. Please, I interrupted you, carry on…"

"Ah… I was just going to say the water pressure sucks." He nodded. "Ok so I'll just leave you to it…" she shuffled by him and exited the bathroom, she looked back "um, maybe I can find some of my ex's cloths… they might fit you…" 'if you shrunk down to three times your current size,' Ada added mentally.

"Ex?" Eric echoed.

"The man who is no longer my boyfriend." 'and my absentee baby daddy…' Ada stopped herself from wincing at the thought.

"Then no man resides with you?" His calculations were clearly reflected in his slow blue consideration of her.

"Not anymore."

"Yet you have left your family home?"

"Well, my parents passed away and I wouldn't exactly have called it a 'family home' anyway… I doubt my brother would call it that either…" Ada coughed, bringing herself to an abrupt silence, as she realized that she was giving away information that she didn't want Laura, or even her ex, to know.

"Such men should be shamed, especially your brother for not providing a safe home for you" a vein of anger enter his gaze and tone, it was a shock especially in contrast to his child-like wandering and ambling around. Her mind filled with his form in the alley, her eyes caught on the dried darkened blood on his chest. Though her heart rate picked up, she refused to be frightened by memories.

"How very archaic… the misogynistic gender thing and the shaming…" she mumbled acerbically under her breath, looking away from him.

"I meant no offense."

"No it… not that I could, but if someone were to be shamed Hallen would definitely be on the shortlist…" she sighed. Her thoughts drifted for a moment and they came right back when she looked back to Eric and realized that he had undressed completely over the span of a second. "Oh gosh!" She immediately drew her eyes up to his chest, then remembered that the door existed, "I'm just gonna close this. You can put your jeans where I put the towels."

"Are you all right?"

"Uh huh" she responded very quickly, the heat in her cheeks was rising "I'll just close the door now, there are clean towels in the cabinet under the sink…"

She shut the door, and tried to wipe the top of the giant Eric's giant business out of her mind and imagination.

Ada busied herself, scouring her small apartment for her ex's clothes and finding none. It seemed that when Bryan was with her he had been completely comfortable with throwing his crap everywhere, but was very thorough and particular about what he took when he bolted.

She had the TV across from her bed on the 6 AM news, in the dull hope that someone had reported a missing vampire, with blonde hair, memory problem and an epically sized… Ada shook her head again. Refocusing on what he could possibly wear. Next to the window, on the left wall, was her cheap flimsy second-hand closet. Ada stared at it, as though a phantom item of clothing would pop out of it if she waited long enough. She mentally ticked over what clothes she owned herself. Nothing more than simple t-shirts, jeans and unexciting underwear, the clothes she wore at work were kept at the Eager Beaver. She did have baggy shirts that she slept in but they would not be much use without pants... Ada refocused again, resigning herself to the fact that she had nothing that would fit Eric.

Ada walked over and opened the cupboard anyway in case there was some long forgotten item hiding inside. "There…" her eyes lit up as she found something had had not occurred to her but that could work. As she pulled her favorite and only blue oversized terry cloth robe out of her closest, she heard the bathroom door open. "I jus-" she began speaking, pivoting to address him, but her eyes almost bugged out of her head and she dropped her robe.

Eric was standing on the other side of her bed in the nude as comfortable as ever, drying his hair with a towel, so that blonde clumps stuck out in different directions.

"What are you doing?" Ada tried keeping her eyes on his face, though his face was not exactly heart calming.

"Cleaning myself?" he seemed to ask, confused by her reaction.

"You can't just walk around naked! Here" she swooped down and picked up the robe quickly tossing it at him, he dropped his towel to catch the robe "Put that on."

"I am sor…"

"Don't be sorry." Ada made herself unclench "You didn't do anything wrong."

"And yet you yelled at me…" he put on the robe it had fit him well. It was about foot too short in the arms and legs, but at least it covered most of him.

"I… I guess it" she gesture to his form "makes me uncomfortable…" he looked her oddly, as the newscaster's voice buzzed in the background. "I'm sorry for yelling."

"I did not take offense, but thank you" and then he smiled. Ada felt as though she had been hit on the head with a shovel. Between his mussed up hair, his teeth and his eyes he looked so charmingly boyish and wolfish all at the same time.

The newscaster's fuzzied voice mentioned something about the Fellowship of the Sun. "Um" she took a breath to compose herself, "they haven't said anything on the news about you" she nodded towards the TV. Her green eyes flicked to the screen for all of a minute, but when they return to Eric she saw not only that he was still watching her, but she also saw "blood…" she pointed under her nose "You're bleeding." A cool recognition coloured his expression, he wiped under his nose with the back of his hand.

"Oh," he responded calmly staring the blood on the back his hand. "The bleeds…" he shrugged, raising his blue eyes back up to her as though he had given an adequate explanation.

Ada waited for a breath before she thought to start internally panicking. 'If he was losing blood, would he need to feed?' She didn't have any True Blood, she definitely did not want her sucking on her, or her most recent addition either.

"The bleeds? Do you need blood?" she managed to ask without showing too much of her anxiety.

Her fear seemed to register though "No. The bleeds simply mean that morning has come and it is time for me to rest."

'Morning?' Ada looked over to her window. She had tacked up about five layers of black sheets over the frame to keep the sunlight out. Since she worked such late hours Ada often slept through the day and she could not sleep with even a sliver of light any brighter than a flickering TV or soft lamplight in the room.

She walked over to the self-made curtain, looking over her shoulder to see if Eric was out of the way. Ada held back her gasp when she realized he had speeded over the bed in order to stand next to her, more safely hiding in the shadow of the wall with the window. His eyes were utterly trusting, she could have ripped the blanket off the window and let him burn, but he trusted her.

Ada raised the smallest portion of the sheets, and saw the soft blue light of the morning with a few bands of yellow streaking through it, telling signs of the time just before the sun fully rose. She quickly shut the gap, not wanting to risk exposing Eric to the sun.

When she looked back at him she saw that he had covered his eyes with his arm. "Eric?" Ada asked, suddenly very worried. When he didn't lower his arm, she ventured to tug on the sleeve of the robe. "Eric."

His arm dropped and his eyes were very unnaturally filled with red. "It burned only a little," he responded to her worry "I am healing quickly." He added "…I think I am very old…" Ada could hardly believe her eyes, his own had gone back to their previous pure blue state.

"Wow!" she breathed looking up at his face, wonder clear in her gaze.

"I do not think I will be able to go to ground outside now that the sun is here."

"Oh…" Ada's eyes roamed around her apartment. "Um… I suppose you can…" 'Why am I saying this?' "…you know, stay here…" she state almost as a question, once again avoiding his gaze.

"Are you certain?"

She nodded slowly, once again wanting to hit herself "If you promise not to hurt, or bite me."

"I swear I will not do anything untoward…"

"Ok…" she looked between her queen mattress and the floor. She did not really have extra blankets and felt rude telling him to sleep on the floor.

"I will rest on the floor" he seemed to have read her mind. "I will be quite comfortable."

"You don't want a blanket?"

"No." He sat on the carpet by her bed, leaning back to lay down. This was yet another jarring perspective of the tall vampire, he halted in this process though, staring up at her his face filled with curiosity "What is your name?"

Ada's brow furrowed, she squinted trying to figure how all the events of the night had transpired without her introducing herself… "It's Ada. Ada Hult."

"Ada" her name seemed to roll and drip off of his tongue, causing her to shiver "… 'noble'… Even your name is familiar in my mouth…" his eyes flitted to some faraway place, before snapping back to her "I truly am grateful for this" he voice was sincere. "Ada Hult."

The warm delusion she felt when he said her name was mixed with a heavy feeling that had started settling on Ada as she stared down at him. A phrase rushed into her head and would not get out "Have you ever heard the saying 'no good deed goes unpunished'?"

"Not that I recall" he smiled. Ada almost swooned, but stopped herself.

She huffed out an annoyed breath and stared up at her ceiling, "Apparently neither have I…" Ada struggled against the urge to childishly stomp her foot. When her head came back she saw more blood seeping out Eric's ear, beginning to trail down his neck. Ignoring his questioning expression, she simply stated "Eric. Please sleep… you gonna leak all over my carpet." Ada barely resisted laughing at her own choice of innuendo susceptible words, though Laura's laugh echoed in her head.

"Sorry." Eric offered immediately shifting back "Thank you" and with that he lay all the way down and closed his eyes. Ada was shocked, she had not unknown what to expect but it was unnerving to see him rest. He looked so pale and lifeless just lying there. Experimentally she nudged his foot with her toe and jumped back in anticipation. When nothing happened Ada wanted to laugh again.

"Looks like I have a corpse on my floor." She muttered, her gaze lingered on him. All at once her exhaustion struck her. Ada began getting ready for sleep, she grabbed his towel from the ground and hung it on one of the empty hooks behind the bathroom door. Without thinking she pressed her nose against the towel, smelling a mix of her soap and his scent. When she realized what she was doing Ada jolted away and tried to pretend that it hadn't happened. Ada was so tired it was fairly easy, she barely made through washing her hair and brushing her teeth. After drying herself she pulled the baggy shirt under bed sheets on, turned off the TV and fell asleep in the dark with a dead guy.

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**Again sorry about editing I really do try.**


	3. Chapter 3: Trouble

**Hope all's well. And you're reading fun things this summer.**

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**Chapter Three - Trouble**

_"Trouble_

_Oh, trouble set me free_

_I have seen your face_

_And it's too much, too much for me..."_

- Cat Stevens

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Ada groaned. She hated mornings mostly because she hated waking up. Technically it was not the morning but with her twisted schedule it may as well have been, when Ada worked she usually woke up sometime in the afternoon on the following day.

She rolled on to her back, slowly making her mind turn on. When Ada realized that she had not dreamed what had happened the night before, her green eyes popped open. After taking a few deep breaths and giving herself a mental pep talk, Ada fumbled around in the dark to turn on her mattress side lamp, which was on the side of her bathroom door. She looked over her shoulder when she could finally see, daring herself to peek over the edge of the other side of her mattress. She was fairly certain it had not been a dream, but she needed absolute proof.

"You might be an idiot, but you can still be brave…" she muttered to herself. Ada felt as though she were going through an army training montage as she crawled on her belly and elbows towards the edge of the mattress.

Sure enough the blonde giant was still there in her robe. Eric. Eric was his name and he looked to be completely dead to the world. Experimentally Ada poked his hard chest to see if he would wake…nothing.

"Wow…" her curious green gaze floated up to his face. Eric had known what her name had meant. 'Noble' her mother loved telling her the story of how she had come to chose old Germanic names for both of her children. Looking at Eric now Ada wondered if he had been from Germany or Europe at least… 'he looks Aryan enough to have survived Hitler's régime…' Ada thought to herself.

She wriggled forward to examine his sleeping face more closely, there was an odd sense of peace about him. Barely aware of she was doing her fingers went to his mouth, her curiosity had gotten the best of her and she had wanted see if she could figure out his teeth. The tip of her index finger pulled open his lips a little as she held her breath anxiously. Ada squirmed closer to get a better angle as she did she caught a glimpse of his ear and the dried blood that had leaked out of it when the sun had come up.

Quickly she drew her hand back. If he had lost blood, he would probably be thirsty and Ada did not want to have her blood that close to his mouth if he was.

"You'll need food I guess" she sighed, running her hand back through her brown hair.

She decided that she should get him some of that Tru Blood '…and some clothes' she added when she looked him over in her robe again.

Ada wanted to wince as she got changed and ready to go. She tried calculating how much it would all cost. She did not have much. She had just paid her rent for the month and tuition. Her savings were depleted down to about 92 dollars. "Walmart it is then…" Ada spoke against drone of the news broadcast she'd turned on. There was still nothing about Eric, she thought it might still be too early.

It suddenly it occurred to Ada that she had not even asked him how long he had been wandering around for. It seemed to her that her mind had checked all the way out last night '…all the way out full stop.' She shook her head.

Giving her appearance a weary shrug in the bathroom mirror, Ada shut off the light then the TV, she couldn't help but give the sleeping vampire a final glance before she grabbed her bag and checked her phone. It was 4pm and on the safe side she had about 2 and a half hours before the sun would set. Hurriedly Ada tugged on her jacket, making sure to lock the door when she left.

* * *

The Walmart was about half an hour way by bus. Normally Ada would read to pass the time and her bus and her rides would be uneventful. But as she was reading today she had the all too familiar eerie feeling of being watched again. At first thought that she was being paranoid because of what had happened the night before, but when she raised her eyes she found the loveliest looking man she had ever seen, other than the blonde giant, staring at her. He was standing in the aisle of the crowded bus a little away from her.

The man was lovely. There was no other way to describe him. He had lines of age in his face, his hair was a flowing blond almost the same shade as Eric's, and his eyes were green and were uncannily enough almost exactly the same shade as Ada's.

He was smiling and did not shift his gaze when Ada spotted him. In that brief moment she was thoroughly unnerved. There was no Eric to save her, not for another 2 hours anyway. Her eyes had quickly darted back to her book, as she tried to force the lovely looking man out of her head and make-believe that she had not seen him. Despite her best efforts Ada could not help but wish that she had left closer to sunset.

* * *

At the main transit loop, most of the people on the bus had swarmed out in a rush. Ada had glanced around for the lovely man. But he was nowhere to be seen. She let herself exhale and walked to the entrance of the Walmart a block over.

Getting the clothes and shoes was a matter of guess work but she thought she had gotten it about right. She had settled on the cheapest items she could find which were gym shorts, a cotton t-shirt and the largest flip-flops she could find, with the special on t-shirts and shorts it all amounted to $11. She decided against buying him underwear, mostly because it would save money and he seemed happy in the buff... 'plus he had not being wearing any early…' She was sure he would be comfy at least and judging by the dirt he had been covered in he would need clothes that were easy to clean.

Ada was feeling pretty good about her shopping until she saw the prices for the Tru Blood, she nearly had a heart attack, at $24 a pop she would only be able to get three and pray that she could rustle up enough change for the tax. There were all different kinds and she had no idea where to start.

She picked up a bottle of AB+, it was strange to finally see this 'magic' solution for vampires up close. It looked so thick and goopy and unappetizing, then again Ada supposed any sort of blood would be unappealing to her…

Suddenly she felt a stare on her again, but this time when she looked around no one was even in the same aisle as her. Ada felt isolated and exposed by herself. She grabbed three bottles of the AB+ and scurried to a more occupied part of store.

As she placed her items on the belt at the check-out stand she wondered if AB+ was a good choice. Doctors on medical show always said it was rare so maybe that meant it was a more sought after taste…

The total was $87.74. Ada felt the embarrassment of having the people standing behind in line wait impatiently as her card was declined. It took her a minute to realize that she had forgotten to add the $16 pregnancy test to her list of recent expenses. She only item that she could take off and that would make her budget work was a bottle of Tru Blood.

"Hope two'll be enough" Ada muttered to herself.

"They can usually find more if they need to" the cashier spoke suggestively, though Ada had not meant for anyone to hear. Ada felt like telling the check-out girl to mind her own business, but she simply smiled politely and took her receipt and bag.

On her way to the bus she felt an odd heavy sensation, all the way on her bus ride she felt it as well.

Ada tried to distract herself by looking of the bus window it was just past 7, she was halfway home and the sun was setting, colouring the sky with orange and pink. This sort of horizon always made Ada feel content, she had no idea how anyone could give it up or be happy without it… The bus stopped at a red light, Ada was suddenly in line with a lamppost that had Eric's face on it, with the words 'Have you seen this man?' under his picture. She was so taken by surprise she nearly missed noting the information on the poster before the bus moved again. The gist of it stated that he had being kidnapped and his friends missed him, and that there was a reward for a confirmed sighting of fifty thousand dollars.

As the bus rolled on, Ada became increasingly uneasy with the poster. It had said kidnapped, but Eric was free and moving around, saving silly girls in the middle of the night. And she had a hard believing that anything could kidnap Eric and hold him successfully. Even if he had lost his he memory he was still a lot stronger and faster than anything she'd ever seen.

She was so consumed by her thoughts that the bus ride flew by and suddenly she was at her stop. Ada thanked the bus driver and stepped out on to the street. Her apartment was three blocks away, she was feeling alone again on the empty street and began walking hastily towards her building.

The hairs on the back of her neck pricked up. She was being watched again, as though as could not help herself, Ada turned on her heels to look behind her. The streetlamps were flickering on as the sun continued to fade and under one of the fluttering lights Ada could see the lovely man with blond hair and green eyes still smiling at her.

This was too much, being stalked and attacked two nights in a row was crazy. However, this time Ada was determined not to whimper and turn into a little ball. Despite her determination she could not stop her knees from shaking.

"Who are you?" Ada asked, trying to speak loudly though wound up sounding quiet to her ears.

The man walked speedily up to her, the movement was so unexpected Ada could not react in time to step back and yet again she found another person inhaling her smell "You are with child…" the man's voice matched his lovely appearance.

"How did you…" Ada began to ask with wide shock eyes.

"I will explain. I promise you I mean you no harm" he smiled, something in his way was sincere and Ada felt the urge to believe him. She wondered if trusting strange men off the street would become common practice for her, as she nodded silently. He smiled again and continued "I am Niall Brigant and I will visit again soon, but night approaches and I must leave now" Ada had the distinct feeling that her expression was something between confusion, amusement and fear yet she found herself nodding again.

The sound of a car backfiring behind her caused Ada to jump and spin around, the sound had come from a few roads over. There was flash of light from behind her, Ada was sure she would get whiplash at the rate that she was spin around. The light that Niall had been standing under must have burned out, as it was no longer on. She wondered how he had disappeared so quickly. She looked around, shivering as fear seeped into her.

The last rays of the sun had vanished and Ada was even more eager to get back to the safety of her apartment, all powerful and bloodthirsty vampire there or not.

She had taken two steps when there was a whoosh and she had walked into a chest. She recognized the material her robe and realized who it was. She looked up into the blue eyes of the blond giant. They were so utterly innocent and fearful.

"You were gone…" he stated plainly, though concern was all over his face.

Ada realized that she had been staring up at him and pressed against him for some time, she blushed and quickly moved away. "I went to get you clothes and some Tru Blood" she raised the bag that had been swinging at her side, for some reason she felt an need to tell him about her encounter with Niall but she made herself resist. She needed more information... not to mention she barely knew him and had no reason to tell him about every detail of her life even if she wanted to.

He stared at her before speak "That was kind of you."

She shrugged feeling awkward under his intense gaze.

"I will walk with you" he gestured back her apartment building.

"Ok." They walked in silence for some time, much as they had last night.

Ada raised her hand to enter the door to the lobby area of her building, but dropped her hand. She lifted her head and took a deep breath facing Eric.

"I think I know who you are." She watched him carefully for a reaction, she watched the lips she had traced over that very afternoon as they began to move.

"I think I know too" he replied in a reluctant tone.

* * *

**Excited for the next episode! Please let me know what you think, I'd appreciate what you think :)**


	4. Chapter 4: Une Annee Sans Lumiere

**On and on. Thanks for the encouragement!**

* * *

**Chapter Four – Une Annee Sans Lumiere (or A Year Without Light)**

"… _Hey, your old man should know_

_If you see a shadow_

_There's something there…"_

– Arcade Fire

* * *

"_I think I know too" he replied in a reluctant tone._

Ada could not hide her surprise, "You remember?" she asked.

He shook his head "I woke just before sunset…" Ada raised her eyebrows "I am very certain that I am very old now. That is the only way I could rise so early" he offered for her confusion "I would have searched for you sooner if not for the sun." Ada did not know how to respond to that, the way he was looking at made her skin tingle and her pulse race. Once again feeling awkward Ada listened as he carried on "I watched the television to see there was any news of me, there was no news, but there was commercial for a vampire bar in Shreveport called Fangtasia…"

"Fangtasia?" Ada grimaced at the name. 'Almost as bad as the 'Eager Beaver'… almost.'

He nodded "It's horrible isn't it. But it appears that I am the owner of that bar: 'Eric Northman.'"

"Eric Northman…"Ada nodded "That's what the poster said…"

"Poster?" He asked.

Ada could tell this would take time to suss out, 'and who knows how long it'll be before he'll get hungry.'

"I'll tell you inside. I doubt my skeezy landlord would approve of vampiric company…"

'Doubt anyone else would approve for that matter…' Ada's green eyes darted around the entrance, normally people did not loiter in this area but she was still uncertain about how others would react to Eric's presence.

"Skeezy?" he asked as he held open the door to the lobby.

"Dirty little scoundrel… and he smells too." Ada added with a scoff as she entered the building.

* * *

It should have been odd that Ada felt safer alone with the vampiric giant in her apartment than she did outside with people more likely to be around… the trend being creepy, violent, stalker people 'Maybe it's not so odd then…' Ada thought to herself.

The pair did not run into anyone on their way back to her home, her neighbours were not so outdoorsy. Ada did not know what the residents did behind their mostly closed doors in this rat hole, but she stayed out their business and stayed out of hers.

Eric had listened quietly, watching Ada as she bustled around anxiously trying to figure out what to do with herself. She decided on describing the poster she had seen on her way back from the Walmart. Ada stood in her kitchenette, green gaze determinedly focused on the instructions printed on that bottle of Tru Blood in her hands "… they really want you back bu-" Ada made the mistake of giving into the tantalizing burn of his blue stare from across the room.

She found herself liking this Eric, with his ruffled hair and lost gaze, more than the cool and collected man in the poster picture. "Um. I-" Ada swallowed thickly, trying to find her nerve "I hope this is ok" showing him the bottled blood "I didn't know about flavours… and ah…" Her eyes caught on his tongue darting over his lips, right where her fingers had ghosted that very afternoon… 'can he taste…?' Ada shook her head and took in a deep breath. She quickly turned to face the crappy brown microwave on the kitchen counter.

"I am sure whatever you have gotten for me will be fine…"

Ada's cheeks were already burning and she was having trouble thinking, the added sound of his voice made her hands shaky as she took the lid off of the bottle and put the blood in the microwave. 'Come on Ada!' she scolded herself 'he's just a guy… supermegafoxyawesomehot vampire guy…'

"Shut up" she spoke to herself under her breath.

"I'm sorry…"

"Ahh!" Ada jumped at the sound of Eric's needless apology in her ear. She turned to face the giant man with some difficulty, as he had not left much space for her to move between his form and the counter. "Remember the space and noise thing?" Ada craned her head back to meet his paralyzing gaze.

'Why don't you shuffle sideways Ada?'

"I am sorry…" the sincerity in his eyes and the softness of his tone made Ada forget how to use her tongue to speak. Despite his apology he hadn't budged away a hair, in fact he leaned closer, his nostrils flaring as he inhaled deeply, his eyes darkened and that did not help her rational thought facilities.

'Seriously Ada… like a crab. Move your bum…' she should have been scared or angry or running or pushing him away but instead she felt her knees going weak, and not in an entirely bad way 'I must have a complex or something…'

There was a click and suddenly his fangs were exposed. That was enough, complex or no, to snap Ada out of her hazy state. She gasped, finally scuttling away. "I…" Ada stopped short. She had been about to rescind her invitation but she was struck by how quickly Eric had pressed himself back against the opposite wall, covering his mouth and fangs with his hands. His blue stare was locked on her, wide with guilt and utterly repentant. "I…" the microwave beeped, Ada was so on edge she jolted a little. 'Jeez, I'm gonna develop a heart problem…' she puffed out a breath as she moved to get the heated blood.

"I did not mean to fright…"

Ada shook her head for him to stop, she re-capped the warm bottle and shook it "Never mind… I'm the…" she sighed, '…the idiot that invited a random vampire into her house. What did I expect?' "We should get you home." Ada stated, pleased that she had finally found some of her senses. Turned to face Eric again, his fangs had been retracted, his expression was still sorry, but it was tinged with a new heavy emotion that Ada couldn't quite figure out. "Something about the poster people bothered me tho…" She held out the bottle to him, gesturing for him to take it, in a split second he had whooshed to snatch the bottle out of her left hand and back to his place at the other side of the room. He hadn't even been slow enough for Ada to see him, but the skin on the inside of her left wrist burned as though it had been brushed by something very cold.

"Um…" She resisted the urge to trace over the tingling spot of skin "… they said that you've been kidnapped but you don't seem exactly ah…" Ada squinted searching for the right word to describe the powerful, old as god, giant vampire "kidnap…pable…"

'Nice…' Ada watched as Eric's face became thoughtful again. He sniffed at the lip of bottle, before taking a swig, his jaw clenched and he seemed to try to the shake the taste out of his mouth.

"Not good?" she asked, all at once regretting her choice of flavour.

"It may as well be human food…" Ada raised an amused eyebrow at his phrasing, he quickly added "I mean food human's would eat, not… 'human food'…" he took another gulp of the red goop, though he tried to hide it, his distaste was clear.

"I'm sorry. I sh…"

"Please do not do that. I am grateful…" his took another demonstrative drink from the bottle. When he spoke again his voice was so soft and full of conviction "…you are truly the most wonderful creature that could ever have saved me."

Ada felt herself blister from the inside out, she shifted her weight from one foot to the other 'How am I meant to respond to that?' she had no idea how begin to deal with such intense… 'commenting? gazing? Not flirting Ada…whatever he's doing it is definitely NOT flirting.' Despite her limited experience Ada was sure that flirtation did not involve such genuine sentiment.

Feeling awkward, and unable to find a better reaction, she simply snorted "Yeah, just wait to assess competence, at least 'til you remember all the other 'creatures' you've met…"

"And if I do not remember?" He asked his clear blue gaze stuck on her.

"Well…" Ada lolled her head back, taking in a calming breath of air. It worked until she realized she had exposed her bare neck to a vampire, immediately she brought her head back down to see Eric had the bottle of Tru Blood pushed against his mouth and was draining the last of the red liquid out of the bottle.

She took a moment to check herself 'this is turning into the world's longest conversation…' "Ah. D-do you want another?"

"Not at the moment…" he nodded for her to continue.

"All right. So, maybe we should see if ah Fangtasia is listed…" he silently kept his focus on her, as she tried to formulate some kind of plan, though she was not the best at strategic or logical plotting. Ada eyed the blond vampire across from her 'obviously very, very far from the best…'

"Um, it's probably a long-shot but if the number is the same as the poster, then maybe they'll know what's what…" Ada leaned against the counter, raking her fingers back through her long, brown hair, as another possibility crossed her mind "…unless they're in cahoots or something…"

"Cahoots?" Eric grinned.

Ada's heart sped up at the sight of his curved lips "Or…" she cleared her throat "the poster people could be your real friends. What do you think?"

He shrugged his robed shoulders "I do not know…" he seemed to consider for a minute, before carrying on "Given your reservations regarding the poster, perhaps my workplace would be best." He suggested, though there was a tremor of uncertainty in his voice.

"Ok…" Ada nodded almost in an effort to work out the best way to do this thing "… I think the payphone just at the corner has a phone-book. It might not be a good idea to use my personal number anyway… I'll go and call pretend to be an" '…ex-lover…' "…a reporter… but why would they tell a reporter that they put a hit out on their boss?" she added, speaking mostly to herself. "I could say I'm a poster person and see how they react…"

Eric had been silently allowing her to work it out, up until that point. "That may be dangerous…"

"I laugh in the face of danger…" Ada uttered wryly without really thinking, feeling like an incredible nerd, especially when she looked at Eric's serious face. 'Actually I seem to invite it into my home…'

"I do not think it is a laughing matter…"

"I was joking… quite lamely, but…" Ada shrugged "yeah…" she scuffed her feet against the kitchen floor.

The sound of her phone vibrating, indicating new text message interrupted their very long-winded discussion. Ada picked her bag up off the floor, where she had dropped it, next to the plastic bag that still had a bottle of Tru Blood and Eric's clothes in it. "You can change if you want." She nodded at the plastic bag as she searched for her phone "they might be more comfy…"

A gust of wind caused Ada's hair flitted across her face, when she saw Eric again he was still on the opposite wall, but now holding the grey Walmart bag. He sniffed at the open-end of the bag his face pinched, much as it had when he had smelt the Tru Blood. "It does not smell very good… your robe smells much better…"

'And cue the awkwardness…'

Ada went back to digging through her bag, so she could pretend not to notice his blatant staring "But you can't exactly walk around in robe, all scary and bare and whatnot…" 'what with that scarily ginormous whatnot…' Ada bit her tongue 'please shut up! What is the point of making yourself broke for an university education if you're gonna be stupid?' She huffed 'stupid and pregnant and broke…'

She finally found her phone to see a text from Laura. *Hope u r gettin sum slp. But if u r up & wana talk lemme no* She was probably getting ready for work. Laura knew that Sundays were usually Ada's days to catch up on sleep before the early Monday classes she had this semester. If Laura knew that Ada's pregnancy had some serious competition for major event of the week she'd flip. Whatever Laura's reason for checking in, her sweetness made Ada smile. As she texted a reply of thanks to her friend, Ada heard a soft rumble from Eric's general direction.

Her green eyes rose to see that in that short time Eric had changed into the shorts and t-shirt, the ring hanging against his chest glinted in the dim lamp light, he had left her robe folded neatly on her mattress and the plastic rested at his feet. The speed thing was throwing Ada for a loop, she had to do a double-take to be sure she wasn't seeing things.

"Someone has made you happy?" his voice was low and gravelly, though his eyes were warm and oddly calming.

"My friend… she's just very kind…" Ada trailed off, noticing the time on the display of her phone. 'Did we fall off the time train? How have nearly two whole hours passed?'

"You are very kind…" Eric asserted from across the room.

Ada coughed through the awkward moment again "I'd better get going…"

"I will go with you." Eric stated firmly.

"That might not be the best idea... considering your status and…" she ran her eyes over his appearance "the fact you don't have shoes."

He shrugged "I will be fine…" and with that Ada learned how futile it was to keep Eric Northman from doing anything he had set his mind to.

* * *

"That was a bust." Eric and Ada walked back into her apartment, after the largely unproductive, yet thoroughly unsettling phone call.

Eric had watched as Ada dialed, she went through with the poster people speech following what had to have been the most seductively campy greeting from an accented man on the other end of the line. The man had almost instantly dropped the camp and transferred Ada to a woman, a brash and angry woman, who demanded that Ada tell her Eric's whereabouts and state of being or else she would 'find her, rape her and tear her to… ' that was as far as the woman had gotten before Eric had grabbed the phone, fangs extended, and slammed the receiver back down into its cradle so hard that Ada was barely shocked when the payphone fell into pieces. He had moved to stand between her and the flying debris, effectively cutting off any further calling opportunities.

"I guess that's super sensitive hearing can be added to the list too…" Ada had offered in order to break the thick silence as they walked back to her building.

"What list?"

"Vampire super powers, so far it's strength, speed, sense of smell … anything else?

He hummed as he thought "There's glamouring…"

"What?"

"What I did to those poor excuses for men in the alley, what I failed to do to you…"

"Failed?" Ada had gone from liking that his glamouring trick hadn't worked on her to murmuring "wonder what's wrong with me?" Her mind had begun wandering to that Niall Brigant character.

"Absolutely nothing," the unabashed confidence in Eric's voice and the statement itself had brought her back.

She could feel his blue eyes boring into her skin, she had clicked her tongue against her teeth as they entered the building. "Anymore?"

"I can fly…" he had shrugged nonchalantly. He had responded to Ada's snort, by proving his ability and, much to Ada's amazement, floating a few inches off of the floor and a part of the way to Ada's door.

Once inside her door, it became abundantly apparently that they were still at square one, with no leads on Eric's friends, and she with no money and only a single bottle of blood remaining. Ada felt comfortable voicing her disappointment, stopping Eric from stepping his bare feet on to her floor she went to her closet to grab her big, _very_ stretchy, comfortable winter socks.

"I feel I should tell you Ada…"

Ada felt his spine nearly evapourate at the sound her name on his tongue. She handed him the socks, which took him less than a breath to pull on. Closing the door behind the towering vampire, Ada turned and waited for him to continue.

"I feel I should tell you that since the phone call I have felt an irritating kind cord tugging at my gut…" he wringed his hands distractedly as he spoke to Ada.

"A tug?" Ada made sure to convey her confusion.

"Yes. I do not know if I should answer it…" he frowned.

"You can do that?"

He nodded .

"Do you know what it could mean?"

"It could be a human that's had my blood, more likely it is a child I have sired."

"A vampire child…" Ada tired picturing Eric in any kind of paternal role, but none of them seemed to fit. He had nodded again, though his blue eyes were as lost as ever. "I guess a child would be trustworthy, right?"

"I suppose so…" he replied slowly "you think I should answer?"

"I don't know… maybe?" she cocked her head to the side "It's up to you…"

Eric bit his lip for a moment before speaking "It is done."

"Now! Really?" Ada gawked "That was it? They'll just know where you are?" He smiled at her wonder.

"Such little faith…"

In the presence of his smile Ada had to remind herself to breath "I have faith…" she could not help but return his grin.

Ada had no idea how long they had been standing there staring at one another, but their comfortable moment was broken by the sound loud banging on Ada's door.

"Eric! I can smell you all over this shithole…" Ada was struck stock still at sound of the booming female tone. She stared, wide green eyes now filled with fear. Eric also seemed unsure of what to do, staying silent as they listened to the alarmingly familiar voice. "Sookie it better not be you behind this fucking door. Whoever it is I swear I will rip out your spine and fuck you with it if you do not open this goddamn door!"

* * *

**Phew!**

**Please let me know what you think, hearing from you all is awesome. Apologies about editing again, I do try my best.**


	5. Chapter 5: Nineteen

**Hello everyone!**

* * *

**Chapter Five – Nineteen**

"… _I felt you in my legs before I even met you_

_And when I laid beside you for the first time I told you_

_I feel you in my heart, and I don't even know you…"_

– Tegan and Sara

* * *

Ada was surprised she could even hear her own thoughts over the banging on her door. 'My neighbours'll hate me soon…' her green eyes remained on Eric's for a pregnant moment, before she turned to reach for the doorknob. Just as her fingers grasped the metal, she felt the cool familiar burn of Eric's electric touch over her hand.

He did not speak, but as he stared down into her eyes Ada could see that he feared for her safety, he was trying to warn her, trying keep her from potential danger again.

"You'll keep me safe" Ada breathed, her tone light as she tried to quell his concern. It seemed to work as his firm blue gaze melted into something that was still reassuring but became softer as eyes roamed over her expression.

"That's very fucking sweet, now open the damn door!" the impatient, albeit quieter, voice demanded from the other side of the door.

As soon as Eric moved his hand away, Ada missed his touch 'Think about the how it doesn't make sense later… one thing at a time, focus on opening the door…' she almost smiled as she felt the knob turn 'well done!' The almost smile fell from her face when Ada saw the fierce looking dark blue-eyed and blonde headed woman. Fangs exposed, corseted and dressed in black leather. 'Of course this would be 'Fangtasia Eric's' creepy vampire offspring… utterly beautiful but pretty freaking camp-tastic.'

Ada, however, did not get very long to take in the woman's appearance properly as Eric had wedged himself between Ada and the open door. Though she was suddenly behind him, Ada could feel his hands reaching to firmly grip her hips, holding her flush against his back, she did not need to see his face to know his fangs were out.

The growl that rumbled through him, ran all the way to the centre of her, she was suddenly very happy to have him propping her up.

There was a click of retracting fangs "Eric…?" the woman's tone transformed from stone cold to one to steeped in deep and honest emotion.

"You are my progeny?" Ada heard Eric ask from his great height above her.

"Of cours…" all at once the woman, appeared to see that something was not right with him and her anger returned with a vengeance, her fangs were bared again "Why doesn't he remember… What did you do to him?" she was clearly addressing Ada, who's green gaze was peeking out from behind Eric's gigantic form.

Before Ada could begin to speak, Eric responded "She did nothing, but care for me…" he continued, adopting an authoritative tenor to his sound "as your maker I command you to do no harm to her… and to tell me what you know of me…"

The woman's dark blue stare shifted back to Eric, before she huffed out a halfhearted "Fine…" there was another click of fangs being drawn up. "Think y'all could least invite me in?" the woman asked, blatantly hamming up a sweet Southern accent.

"Um…" Ada's gaze rolled up to see if Eric had any qualms with the woman's request, though the large blond did not say anything or even glance at Ada, she felt a comforting squeeze from his hold on her hips. "Sure…" Ada's eyes fell back down to the now sour looking woman "what was your name again?" Ada asked.

"Pam." The woman stated blunt and bored. Ada found herself resisting the urge to laugh at the juxtaposition 'Pam, the vampire…' almost immediately the urge to laugh left Ada. 'Pam. The. Vampire.' Ada repeated in her head as she eyed the powerful woman standing in her open doorway.

"Please come in Pam."

"About fucking time" Pam muttered before speeding into Ada's dimly lit apartment. Eric quickly closed the door, turning to face his undead child, making sure to keep Ada behind him though he did allow her about an inch of space when she tried to pull away from him.

"This is quite a palace you got here…" the female vampire, peered around Ada's demure living situation, prodding Ada's mattress with a leather booted foot. 'Could I feel anymore lame?' Ada winced, from her place behind Eric, as she felt herself shoved under the microscope. "What kind of idiot brings home an altered vampire anyway?"

Ada had opened her mouth to speak but once again Eric beat her to it. "Do not insult her…" he spoke in something between a hiss and a growl "… be nice to her."

"It's fine Eric" Ada tried to smooth over the tension that she felt inadvertently responsible for, "… I've sort of been asking myself the same thing…" she spoke to Pam, who raised a perfectly plucked eyebrow at her. Eric had craned back his blond head to look to at Ada, and when her green gaze moved to land on his face, Ada immediately regretted what she had said. His expression was pained and confused, 'Crap…' Ada fumbled looking for the right words to say "…n-not that I regret meeting you… it's just not the smartest…" she swallowed, as he finally let her pull away "smartest thing…" Ada stepped away picking nervously at her nails.

"I understand" he nodded, though his still seemed slightly discontented.

"Well, dear what is your name?" Pam piped up, shockingly chipper and with a huge smile plastered on her face, in stark contrast to her previous state.

Ada felt certain that Pam was purposely making a point of exaggerating, to show that she did not want to be pleasant, that she was unwillingly forcing herself.

Regardless Ada answered, feeling increasingly out of place in her own home "Ada."

"Ada?" the smile crumbled off of Pam's face and her dark blue eyes snapped to Eric, she began speaking in what sound like the language he had used on the night he had saved Ada.

'Stupid Germanic name…'

Eric conversed with Pam for a time, while Ada looked on, not even trying to keep up. 'At least they're not using my apartment for something else…' Ada could help it as her mind envisioned what any 'something else' with Eric would be like.

"Ada" Her focus came back to the discussion, as Eric abruptly started speaking in English "I am sorry to not have noticed again." He looked at Pam "We should continue in English, Ada does not speak my mother tongue…"

Pam glowered at Ada "Does she need to hear this?"

"Yes." Eric stated frankly, over Ada's shaking head. 'I don't need to be included…' Ada spoke inside her head, though tried she could not seem to get the words passed her lips.

"Whatever. You can fill her in on what she missed later, I'm not repeating it all" Pam slid her tongue over her shiny white teeth, before adding "maybe she and her magic fairy snatch can add more to this part of your story…"

'Fairy snatch? Fairy… Like gay? Does she think I'm gay?' Ada looked down to see if a sign falsely advertising her sexuality had been pinned to her, not seeing one, Ada lifted her head to correct Pam "I'm not…"

"Let me finish, then add if you can," Pam bit out, apparently irritated by Ada's bid to speak. The leather clad female turned her gaze back to Eric "when the posters showed up tonight I thought you would call if you were in trouble, but I started poking around for you anyway … I was concerned. Bill sent you to take care of witches in Shreveport last night and I don't doubt that it was a trap…especially now…" her voice softened as she seemed deep in thought"…a thousand years wiped away…"

Ada had still been tripping over Pam's mention of witches when she hit with the next whammy 'A thousand years!' Not quite as old as god but closer than anyone Ada had ever met before, and more than enough to leave her gaping at the blond giant standing just within arm's reach of her. It took a moment for Ada to register that Pam had stopped speaking and was staring expectantly at her across the room.

"Your turn honey nut."

'To do what?' Ada stared back at the striking woman. "I really have no idea… I just" Ada shrugged, her vision wandering back to the giant vampire who was still defensively standing just before her, between she and Pam. As her green met his blue it suddenly seemed to hit Ada 'Time to stop being insane and reenter the real world… Use. Your. Brain…' "I just ran into him." Ada couldn't make herself look at Eric, what with the words she had decided to say next, so she focused on Pam instead "Now that you found him, it sounds like you have a lot of complex vampire business stuff to work out so… I'll just let you both be on your way…"

"What?" The sound of surprise in Eric's voice matched the look on his face, as he turned fully to face Ada.

Ada bit her lip, feeling bare under his burning stare "I don't know what you could expect from me." She took in a deep breath "Eric, I don't know you and you definitely don't know me. And Pam is…"

"I don't know Pam. I know you. I've known you longer than anyone I've ever known…" the adamancy in his voice and expression made Ada heart pound against her ribs.

Ada did not know what the appropriate response to such a creepily stalker-like statement. It was true that she felt an odd sort of _something _in his presence as well, before they'd even met, as soon as she had felt the burn of his blue gaze. But she kept those thoughts to herself 'Who says insane things like that out loud?'

"Eric" Pam began speaking, though Ada cut her off and Eric had seemed to forget that his child was even there. Ada could practical feel his blue eyes boring into her skin.

"You just don't remember, when you do you'll be glad to be with your family, in your own home…" Ada tried, but she was interrupted herself.

"Actually" Pam tone commanded that Eric pay attention, his turned begrudgingly to face his child "your home probably not the safest place. King Bill and his infinite graces scoured all of you properties in search of you… I had thought it good thing… that it meant he had not succeeded in capturing you…"

"All of my properties?"

"The plantation, the house in Madrid, your acquaintances houses, Sookie's place…"

'Sookie? Is that even a name…?' Ada thought to herself 'Witches. Sookie. Pam, the vampire. King Bill… what kind of cartoon characters are these?' Ada would have laughed but once again she was given a reason not to, as this influential 'King Bill' person seemed to insist upon indirectly complicating her life.

Pam continued. "If you stayed here, where no one would suspect or think to look for you…"

'What now?' Ada watched as the exchange about her home occurred without her input "Um no?" she put forward, almost though she were asking if she were allowed to have an opinion. The two vampires were staring at her again. 'This is way too vampiric and witchy and too far over my head…' "I can't… I mean I think you should…"

"You will let Eric stay with you." Pam voice and look had suddenly become severe.

'Is she trying to glamour me?... Is it working?' Ada let herself blink a few times before deciding 'No. Nope, definitely not working…' "No I won't."

Pam shrugged as though she had expected it not to work "Ah well, worth a try."

'Eric must have warned her about glamouring not working on me… Eric…'Ada turned her apologetic green eyes back up to the blond confused looking giant before her. He looked utterly betrayed and Ada felt herself tear in two as she saw the lost boy in him become frightened.

"Eric I'm sure you'll be safer with Pa…"

"No! No! NO!" he suddenly yelled "You cannot make me…" and in a blur he and his huge form sped out the door.

"Fuck…" Pam commented drily as Ada stood wide-eyed, staring at the spot Eric had just been standing in, trying to figure out what exactly had happened. "Well that's that, I'll get outta your sunshiny hair…"

That snapped Ada out of her dumbstruck state "Wait! Can't you go get him or something?"

Pam ran her cold stare contemplatively down Ada's demure figure before responding "He's five times my age and strength little girl. No matter how bad I want to I couldn't make him do anything he didn't agree to do…"

"Bu…"

"Look. I understand this is very confusing to you 'n all, especially since you're a random nobody off of the street and especially since I have lived with him for centuries and now he has no fucking clue that he's even my maker… believe me I understand your frustrated position, but I have things to take care of. Eric can call me if he needs me but if he comes back to this shithole and I find out you didn't tell me, you'll get to see exactly how well I take care of _things… _if you catch my meaning…" with the edge to Pam's low voice and magnetically charged stare, it was difficult to ignore the female vampire's meaning.

"Got it. Now, please get out of my house."

As if she were compelled Pam began her stride out of the door, with a pronounced drawl the vampire spoke "Just when I was getting used to the stank in here…" and like a shot she blurred away.

Ada slammed shut the door, hoping it would shut craziness out of her home as well. She leaned back against the closed door, on the back her eyelids she could see flashes of the events that had occurred like a movie, 'it has to be fictional.' Her head was swimming as she felt the truth of everything that had happened rush over her. It did not help that Ada could not shake the nagging worry for Eric that was growing to consume her mind. "God damn…" she muttered.

The sound of her stomach growling, broke Ada out of her daze. She realized that she hadn't eaten all day 'That can't be good for the little nudger…' she thought rubbing her flat belly smiling softly to herself.

When she realized what she was thinking, the smile dripped off her face and her hand fell limp to her side.

Ada forced herself to eat eggs on plain toast though her throat was tight and she felt like throwing up. She drifted around as in a haze suddenly extremely tired, she washed her face and undressed for bed. Ada grabbed her phone from her bag on her way to her bed and was about to root around under her sheets for her oversized t-shirt when her green eyes caught on blue robe still folded neatly on her mattress.

'Eric's robe…' was the first thought that came to her mind. She shook her head as she reached for the plushy item. '_My _robe…' Ada smiled as she unfolded the soft cloth, remembering the day it had been given to her. It had literally been the best day for her, she had always stolen her father's grey version, and one day she woke up to find an box with a blue robe that was identical to her father's at the foot of her bed. It had made her so happy to own her favourite item clothing, it had made her father so happy to see her so cartoonishly excited, she had barely taken the thing off when she was at home… granted she had worn pjs, at least underwear when she walked around in it 'unlike a certain the blonde giant...'

She reached over to switch off her lamp and in the dark Ada wondered for a moment before sniffing the fabric, all at once she found herself comforted and smiling again 'Eric's robe' she slipped her arms into the familiar sleeves. Surrounded by some scent or some part of him that seemed to have rubbed off of on to the material Ada was filled with ease, her phone was still clutched in her hand as she let herself fall forward on to the bed. Ada knew that she was probably imagining the smell and that she was searching for comfort ,and that she would accept it in any way she could get it, largely because of what she was about to do '… can't even be brave all by yourself, can you?'

With one eye pressed closed and pushed against her pillow, she found the number she was looking for saved on her phone and with a big gulp of air she dialed.

It was very late and, as expected, the ringing led to voicemail. Her mouth seemed unwilling to move, half mushed and muffled by the pillow under her head. "This is Ada Hult calling for Doctor Lowen, if I could get an appointment for tomorrow sometime in the afternoon, please let me know. I-" Ada could barely hear her voice over the pounding in her ears, she coughed taking in a deep breath, inhaling a whiff of the scent of him, the scent that continued to calm her "…I would also like an appointment at the clinic you… that one you run out of your offices. I need to get rid of this… of something as soon as possible" Ada rushed out the last part, biting her lip and squeezing her green eyes shut, she ended the call.

"AGRH!" she bit in her pillow, kicking and pounding at her mattress in frustration.

When she caught her breath, Ada curled inwards, wrapping her arms around her middle she muttered towards her belly "I'm sorry…"

Eric engulfed her, his smell, in her robe she felt buried in him and his cooling presence. Slowly, Ada let the tension seep out of her body. She wanted to thank him for what he was doing, without even being near her, she had to blindly hope for his sensitive hearing to pick up on all she could lamely think to say: "Please, please, keep safe Eric."

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**There you go (sorry about editing stuff). Liking the show a lot more without the romance being crammed down my throat. Let me know what you think of the show and the story… I like opinions :) **


	6. Chapter 6: This Is Hell

**Hey! Thanks for the encouragement. Really appreciate it! Editing… Yikes! Sorry in advance.**

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**Chapter Six – This Is Hell**

"… _This is hell, this is hell_

_I am sorry to tell you_

_It never gets better or worse_

_But you get used to it after a spell…"_

– Elvis Costello

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Ada woke up late, she had slept through the first three alarms on her phone. Before she could stop herself Ada had jutted to the edge of the bed, expecting to see Eric still lying there. 'It was a dream' she thought to herself when she saw the empty space, unconsciously she rubbed her nose into the robe she was wearing… into his smell. The sound of her fourth alarm jolted Ada out of bed. She rushed messily throwing on her clothes and put up her hair… it was only after her early four hour macroeconomics class that Ada noticed a small envelope and missed call that had come in sometime between her first and second alarms, from the offices of Doctor Lowen…

* * *

"Baby doll, you're not lookin' so hot…" Bobby had worriedly commented, from behind the bar, when Ada had walked into the 'Eager Beaver'.

She hadn't realized she her outward appearance had suffered with what she was going through internally, Ada hadn't really been aware what she was doing, walking around with mechanical direction. When she saw the very real concern in her boss' expression Ada tried to muster up some good 'I'm all right behaviour…'

"Yeah, late night, hitting the books…" she smiled, making conversation though all she really want to do was sit on her stool and not be bothered. Her head was too full of overwhelming thoughts, on top of which all day long she felt as though her gut was being eaten alive with concern for Eric. 'Yes Ada, worry about the great big killing machine out there all on his lonesome…' Ada had chided herself again and again, but each time she tried to forget him she thought of more and became even more of a wreck.

"You study too much darlin'…"

Ada frowned "I only have school three days a week…"

"Still too much little Adley," Bobby tsked "Should take a page from my book, don't have my high school even, and look at how good I'm doing…" He grinned, gesturing around at the neon lights, dark corners and poles.

"Oh Bobbley…" Ada had sighed, following his good naturedly gaze, feigning sadness, "if only I could reach such wondrous splendor and get to the good place you're at…" She nodded at the old man drooling at 'Candycane ', a true sweetheart whose real name was plain Hannah.

Bobby caught the sarcastic twinge to her voice "Not tired enough to make fun are you Adley?"

"Never too tired for that…" Ada smiled and laughed, walking past her boss to the changing room in the back, though it was a short distance and she had rushed by him Ada could barely keep the already weak smile for falling.

'What do I do now? What do I do now?...'

That afternoon at the doctor's office Ada had promised Doctor Lowen that she would go straight home and rest. It may have been a better idea to listen to the doctor, especially as Ada was feeling exponential frail by the hour. She had hoped that the booming music would provide some distraction from her overwhelming thoughts. But as she sat in her booth at the 'Eager Beaver's' entryway, there may as well have been a thick wall muffling the sound as Ada could hear nothing but the same refrain playing in head.

'What do I do now? What do I do now?...' a troubling combination of words alone, but worse as it was occasionally punctuated by a pull at her stomach, one of irrational worry for Eric.

When Laura asked why Ada looked so pale and Ada tried to shake it off. Ada should have known that her best friend would not let it lie, soon enough both Laura and Bobby were bustling her out of the door three whole hours before her shift ended. It was a weekday and not very busy, but Ada needed distraction not to mention she need the money… Bobby however, insisted on paying her for the night.

"It's near the end of your shift anyway baby doll…" Ada begrudgingly accepted, changing into her comfy street clothes and barely convincing Laura that she would be fine by herself she left the 'Eager Beaver' at 3 AM and still in a dream-like state.

The wind had picked up, just as Ada made the hourly number 7 bus, she felt a shiver run down her spine. 'The wind…' she tried to negotiate with herself 'yea, sure that Southern heat just suddenly went Arctic, Ada…' a less cooperative snarky voice spoke in her head. 'Shush…'

Ada walked down the familiar alleyways, feeling safer on a weekday than she ever did on weekends in the dark backstreets. But that was not all that was familiar and no matter the day she never felt quite as safe as she did this night.

'Head down. Keep walking…' Ada fought with the intense urge to turn around, call out, do something other than ignore the cool burn she felt on the back of her neck. She was almost proud of herself as she kept her green eyes focused on her toes and kept control of her life-threatening thoughts. She was _almost _proud until she realized her failure to prevent this from happening 'you took the exact same path! Why didn't you switch it up?'

She got to her building, rode all the way up to her floor and made into her home to lean back against her closed apartment door, all without looking back once. She was about to let out a sigh of relief and feel proud again when a soft knock, followed by a soft, lost voice interrupted her.

"Ada?"

'Damn it,' Ada squeezed her eyes shut, berating herself 'So stupid… maybe if I stay quiet and don't breathe…'

"I saw you little one, and I can smell you in there…"

"Right" Ada finally spoke, defeated. As she turned to open the door Ada recalled that over the past two nights he had found her almost instantly on smell alone 'how did I forget those shiny little tidbits?' Ada forgave herself this one though, her day had been brain muddling, and she figured at least one break should be allowed. "You know, I may be little bu…" she began as she pulled the door open. Ada mouth went a little slack as took in the towering sight of him covered in dirt and generally rumpled, short blond hair ruffled, clear blue eyes so utterly trusting… 'how did I forget he looked like that?'

From what felt like forever, staring at her, he disappeared in a flash of wind into Ada's unlit apartment. "I…" Ada shut the door, just as Eric sped around the room turning on the dim lamp light at her bedside. By the time her green eyes landed on him again, she was at loss for words. He stood waiting, everything about him from his gaze to his posture made him seem like a unsure, timid mouse in an elephant's powerful and giant body. Ada knew in her very foundations before she even thought it : 'I am so completely screwed…'

"Eric, I didn't invite you in…"

"You did not rescind your invitation last night…" he offered simply.

"Oh…" Ada nodded, puffing out an exhale, feeling even more dimwitted. She shifted her gaze away from him for a moment so she could focus on what to do next "…Right, you left in a hurry… " Her eyes darted back to his listless, watchful figure across the room. Ada had not meant for her focus to linger, but it seemed to register that once again he was covered in dirt, she cringed at the hopeless of her efforts to make her home a decent place to live.

His blue eyes followed her greens ones, and he ended up looking at his dirt encrusted toes as well, he vanished again and suddenly Ada heard the sound of her tub filling with water. Slowly she moved towards the door of the now lighted bathroom. Ada was still half sure that this had to be a dream, that uncertainty did not want to leave her and had hounded her since this series of events had begun, almost as much as the worry for Eric's safety had pulled apart her stomach.

"I apologize for my state…" Eric spoke as Ada poked her brown-haired head into view at the edge of door. "I had to go to ground in a field of corn…"

'Corn field?' Ada wondered how far and fast he would have had to move to get to farmland, she was sure it would have to be way outside of the city limits. 'Wow…' Ada stood in doorway fully when she saw that he had managed to remain clothed '… for the time being…'

"I also apologize for my behaviour," Eric continued over the sound of the running water "it was childish…" Ada nodded, as he carried on his cool blue stare unwaveringly on a burning Ada "… but you must understand, I do not know her. I did not want to leave for some unknown place with some unknown person…" his gaze became impossibly more sincere and penetrating, Ada was surprised that she hadn't already buckled under the weight of it.

"You know Pam…" Her tone was meek, even to her own ears 'This is ridiculous. Come on! Grow some nads!' "Eric you know Pam." Ada spoke, forcing herself to sound firm as she went on, "And Pam knows you… You made her."

"… I do not want to go anywhere without you…" he offered after a moment, effectively striking Ada dumb. 'Where did my tongue go?' She licked the back of her teeth to be sure it was still there.

Ada was fairly certain her heart had stopped beating, she sucked her cheeks between her teeth, she wanted to gasp but she couldn't seem to find the air to do so. This was all too much to absorb 'I don't what to do…' for lack of a better reaction Ada stared blankly at the vampiric giant.

She took in a deep inhale through her nose, finally breaking the paralyzing staring contest with Eric. The tub was almost full, Ada pointed at it, drawing Eric attention. He quickly shut off the water, almost immediately Ada could feel the scorch of his eyes on her skin again.

Ada felt so small as he looked down at her… 'Small, and naked… and vulnerable.' Clearing her throat "your dirty clothes…" Ada gestured to the pile of laundry beside the sink "… ah, and your towel behind the door."

He nodded his blond head as Ada silently closed the bathroom door, she was surprising herself. Outwardly she was acting utterly calm, inwardly… 'I am so FREAKING out!' Her mind was racing, yet with the steadiest hands she had ever had she picked up and put Eric's robe on the floor by the bathroom door.

After leaning over to put down his robe, just as she straightened up, that was when the panic hit… 'Pam. Oh my Jesus!' Ada recalled the petrifying woman's threat. 'Should I call her?... Eric doesn't want to go but if Pam finds out… She and Eric she talked awhile after she met me…' Pam's frowning face flashed through her mind 'who knows what she said but anyone with rudimentary brain function could already tell she doesn't like me…I don't wanna be tortured. I don't wanna die…' All of these frantic thoughts took a second to tear through her mind, it took perhaps a second longer for her heart rate to pick up and it was not even a breath after that Eric raced out of the bathroom, dripping, wet expression somewhere between scared and angry.

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**Next chapter really, really soon. Promise.**


	7. Chapter 7: First Day of My Life

**Hi! Back to the tale, hope all is well. Sorry odd timings of chapter releases (probably going to be like this for a while)… Editing again…**

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**Chapter Seven – First Day of My Life**

"… _I think I was blind before I met you_

_Now, I don't know where I am_

_I don't know where I've been_

_But I know where I want to go…"_

– Bright Eyes

* * *

'…_I don't wanna be tortured. I don't wanna die…' All of these frantic thoughts took a second to tear through her mind, it took perhaps a second longer for her heart rate to pick up and it was not even a breath after that Eric raced out of the bathroom, dripping, wet expression somewhere between scared and angry._

He seemed to ascertain fairly quickly that nothing was threatening Ada, rather that she was having a mild panic attack, much to her own bewilderment. 'Air… Heart… Help!' Ada widened her green eyes appealing to Eric's concerned blue consideration, her chest was heaving but she could get air into her lungs. "Air…" she wheezed, feeling dizzier by the second. "…Can't…" Ada tried getting passed the lump in her throat, his normally soothing cool gaze was not helping as it had in the past.

"There, there…" Before she knew what was happening, Ada suddenly felt air enter her body, she greedily gulped it down, closing her eyes and trying to control the drumming of her heart.

'This has been a way un-fun day… ' "Panic attack…" she wanted to scoff "Can't believe it…" Ada attributed her current fragile disposition to her weakened state throughout the latter part of the day.

"Panic attack?" Ada heard the smooth, tranquil chords of Eric's voice. Behind her eyelids, her mind was still muddled in the dark, she could almost feel his question reverberating within the confines of her head.

"Yeah" she muttered, her heart had slowed, but Ada could still feel some sporadic thuds push against her ribs as she tried to order her thoughts. A part of her wanted to fall asleep she was all at once utterly exhausted and more comfortable than she had ever been in her life. "I need to know what … I mean should I call Pam? She knows you Eric, you talked in your native language. You…" As Ada spoke she realized she was clutching on to something, her brow furrowed as Eric picked up where she left off.

"She does not. She knows a different me. She kept talking about _him_. How _he_ may have known you or one of your ancestors. 'Ada' is very Norse and_ he_ is a Norse 'Viking God'. She talked of _his_ maker, _his_ life, _his_ likes and dislikes…"

While he spoke Ada had of course been listening, but she had also be connecting certain dots. Wet dots, on smooth cold skin, attached to a form that rumbled when Eric talked and a nose that skimmed gently over the crown of her head. 'Oh crap…' Ada did not want to open her eyes for fear of what she already knew was there. Nonetheless, she counted to three in her head and made herself look.

"Holy Tamoly!" He had sat them on the edge of her mattress, cradling her as though he were comforting a baby. Only in this scene he was the one naked as the day he was born, aside from the ring hanging from the metal chain at his neck and the girl covering his bare crotch. "Oh boy!" Ada squirmed, attempting in vain to escape the iron grip around her waist "Lemme go!" With that she tumbled forward, though Eric grabbed hold of her, steadying her before she hit the ground. He moved away immediately afterwards, his head staring down watching his big toe poking at the grimy carpet.

Ada was trying with some difficulty keep her focus from drifting to anywhere between his head and his toes, but… 'I was pressed up against all of that?' An involuntary shiver ran up her spine, she wanted to smack herself equally for getting into such a mess and leaving the mess's arms.

"I'm…" Eric broke the silence. If his posture wasn't enough, the emotion in the beginning of his statement, conveyed the fact that he was about to apologize.

Ada was fast to shake her head "Don't be sorry. I'm grateful…" she smiled, when his raised his boyishly doubtful face, "I mean it. You kept me from fainting, going insane…"

'Going insane? You're consoling a vampire, in your apartment… ever see a lost cause?' Ada ignored the snide voice "I didn't mean to flip out… You're just kinda naked, again…"she nodded at the robe by the door.

"Oh," in blur he was dressed and sitting back on the edge of the mattress.

"So…" Ada sniffed, looking down at the expectant Eric, he seemed so oddly small once more. "A 'Viking' huh?" she prodded, mostly trying to fill the silence.

Eric shrugged, "I suppose so but I…" he dropped his head to look at the floor, his shoulders drooped "there are all things I don't know. Things I'm meant to have done but I remember nothing of it…" he paused, as though he was making sure that what he said would be heard clearly "all my world is a blank, before you…"

"You mean my smell" Ada breathed to herself, having to look away for a moment, as she went over what he had just said in her mind.

"No. I mean you." He raised his head to look at her. Ada would have argued if she had been struck by the honesty in his gaze and the 'blood?'

"Eric! Your eyes!" Before she could think, Ada rushed forward crouching to see if she could dam up the red flowing from his eyes "The bleeds?" She tried doing the math in her head, her skill at time measurement was not so horrible, there was no way the sun would have risen by this point.

She stared up at him, the helpless sadness in his expression made Ada insides wither.

He sniffed, blue eyes locked with hers as he wiped his cheeks, "I believe these are tears" he sounded as confounded by his own weepy state, as Ada was of her recent and unexpected panic attack.

Ada resisted urge to gape 'First smell, speed, sight, hearing… freaking flying! And now…' "You cry blood? Like Jesus?" As soon as she asked it Ada felt like an idiot. 'Great response to his pain Ada, besides…Too young to be vampire Jesus… ' her contemplative gaze ran over his pale beautiful, lost face 'maybe personal Jesus…' Ada bit the inside of her cheek, hating the 'Eager Beaver' playlist that automatically ran through her head.

Barely a second following her incongruous questioning, Ada let herself give in to yet another urge that she could not smother. She moved to sit beside him wrapping her left arm around his huge shoulders and hoped that she was comforting, as she used her free hand to squeeze the portion of his arm that was covered by the blue plushy fabric… it didn't really help that his skin was covered, she still felt a shock of electric energy course through her. She could also somehow sense some of the tension leave him, though his gaze remained glued to the spot she had been crouching at before him.

"It'll be okay Eric…" Ada tried, wondering if she could do what he had done for her. He did not look to be any less gloomy, 'Is there a secret manual or something?... At least the tears have slowed down…' she took in his downcast appearance 'I win!' the sarcastic voice remarked. As she shut out the unwanted commentary, Ada made another attempt, feeling utterly lame as she did "Things'll work out…" Ada struggled to find just one more cliché incase that one didn't work.

But he spoke, "It is difficult to explain Ada. I don't even know what I could want to 'work out'… It is odd to think of some entire existence before this" he turned his red smeared face and Ada swore the weight of his blue, boyish stare crushed her lungs, "… before you…"

Though Ada was already pressed up against him, she was sure she could get closer, wrap herself around him, keep him safe and comfort him. 'Not things to translate to the real world Ada… He's the crazy stalker and you're the normal one… Now, say something else…' her mouth felt dry as she returned his scorchingly genuine stare '…anything else… start with a syllable…'

Eric however took over the conversation, resolutely wiping the last of the drying blood off his face. "I like this…" he tugged at the sleeve of his robe. Ada pulled her hands away from him, now that the need to comfort him was no longer driving her to distraction, she realized that she insanely close to a vampire. 'How do I move away without hurt his feelings?'

He nuzzled the collar of robe, he took in a deep breath a soft savoring rumble escaped him "It smells of you…"

'And that's it…' Ada jolted up out of the fictional world, where he did not want to drink blood and back into the world where he most likely hadn't eaten since the previous night. She tripped a little on her way to the kitchen, attempting to make it look as though it had been her intention all along to head towards the fridge.

"Yo- you want a Tru Blood?" she asked, opening the door to the leaky fridge where she had put the last bottle of blood.

"Wouldn't that be the last of it?" Eric asked, he sound closer and higher, but Ada kept her green eyes directed at the bottle of blood she had picked up. She started preparing, pivoting to face the cruddy microwave, following the same steps she the night before, she put the blood in the ancient machine.

"I'll get more tomorrow…" Ada was glad to have her back to him, something in her gut churned as she lied to him. She knew she couldn't handle that open and trusting face, ruffled hair and all skittish…

"Oh…tomorrow…" she heard from behind her, she knew he believed her and that did not make her like herself. If she was honest with herself, Ada knew as crappy as it made her feel to lie to him, it was the smarter course of action for the time being. Leave aside the fact that she had no money, she also had no idea what to do with Eric… she had more choices to make.

Her phone vibrated with a text, just as Ada took the heated blood out of the microwave. "Here" she turned quickly handing Eric the bottle and rushed to get the text, sent from Laura.*Pls b aslp. Bob wants u off 2mrw. Comin over b4 wrk. bout 1* It was five in the morning and Laura probably getting off work.

Ada looked over her shoulder at the gigantic vampire standing in the kitchen area of her microscopic apartment. 'How am I meant to hide him?'

She set her alarm for twelve, so she could have enough time to ask Laura to meet her somewhere else. Ada half turned back to Eric. "I'm just gonna wash up…" she didn't wait for him to respond, before scurrying to the sanctuary of the bathroom. Ada closed the door, putting her phone on the sink countertop. She was about to turn the faucet when she caught sight of her reflection in the foggy glass above the sink 'I was meant to be iron-willed today' she looked down at her flat stomach 'I guess you and the blond Adonis in my house are proof of how much I suck at follow through…' rubbing her belly she couldn't help but smile 'I hope you don't inherit that from me… or your dad…'

As she mentally spoke to her unborn child, the reality of how messed up her life had become, faded for a moment only to drain her as she thought of how she would have to deal with it all. The tub had not been unplugged, as Ada let the water drain out, it became even more real. 'That's Eric's dirty bath water, those are his cloths in his laundry…' she drifted back to sink 'it's me he sees at the start of his life…' she sighed at her reflected twin 'I really need to start avoiding mirrors…'

Utterly beat she quickly showered and brushed her teeth. She couldn't bring herself to care that all she had to wear was an old t-shirt that she'd left hanging next to the towels, behind the door. 'I'll just jump and dive under the sheets…'

She picked up her phone and opened the door, immediately glad she hadn't dived. Eric sat on her mattress silently facing the door and Ada, with a half empty bottle of blood in his hands and the red completely wiped from his face. His blue eyes seemed to drip down her form, blistering her skin as they went.

She felt on fire 'you're tired remember?'

"I'm tired!" Ada blurted out, his ice chip gaze snapped up to her blushing face.

"All right…" Eric stood slowly, his gaze not leaving her, as he gestured to her make-shift bed.

"Um… Thanks… " once she was securely under the covers, Ada propped herself up on her elbows, from this angle he was even more enormously threatening. If it wasn't for the uncertainty that coloured his look Ada would have been frightened, if she wasn't so tired she would have come up with something better to say to a vampire who was staying awake while she fell asleep "Are you gonna be ok?"

"I will be fine."

His even greater height was unnerving "You can ah, sit if you… you know want to…" Ada spoke awkwardly. He moved in a way she did not expect, taking a seat crossed legged on the other side of the mattress facing her. As Ada turned to lie on her side she was grateful that he had managed to keep some distance and that himself covered up, drowsily she giggled to herself as she nestle into her pillow.

"What is it little one?"

"Nothing, just thinking th…" she was sure she finished her sentence, they may have even talked at length, but she couldn't remember.

* * *

Ada woke to the sound of forceful knocking at her door. "Damnit Laura!" she grumbled. No doubt she had slept through her alarm again. And now Laura was at the door to her apartment, her apartment with a vampire inside it…

Pushing her brown hair out her face, Ada sat up in her dark flat. She fumbled around for the lamp switch. Instead of seeing Eric on the ground as she had expected, she found him lying next to her on her bed. 'Nice…'

There was some dried blood trailing out of his nose and ear, but Ada did not have time to think about it too much, as the knocking continued. She threw her duvet over the sleeping vampire, rinsing her mouth out with water and getting dressed as fast as she could, she shut off the light, grabbing her phone and her bag she rushed to the door. "I'm sorry Lau…" Almost as soon as she had yanked the door open Ada began speaking only to stop short. Her mouth hung open, she couldn't think of what to say as she stared at eyes that were as green as her own.

"Hullo my dear…" the lovely man greeted her in his lovely voice.

* * *

**Excited for tonight's episode.**

**This chapter was too long at it's original length. Sorry about editing…**


	8. Chapter 8: Darlin' Do Not Fear

**Hi sorry about chapter 7. Meant to edit not delete… guess that's what I get for correcting grammar, sigh… anyway on to chapter 8.**

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**Chapter Eight – Darlin' Do Not Fear**

"… _When I arrived in my old set of clothes_

_I was half a world away from my home_

_And I was hunted by the wolves_

_And I was heckled by the crows_

_Darlin' do not fear what you don't really know…" _

– Brett Dennen

* * *

"_Hullo my dear…" the lovely man greeted her in his lovely voice._

"Wh- wha…" Ada stuttered, wondering what she should do, her fingers clenched around the doorknob as her mind raced to remember his name "Niall, right? Niall um…"

"Niall Brigant" he nodded his blonde head in a slight bow, "at your service."

"Right…" Ada clucked her tongue against the back of her teeth, it was taking everything in her not to turn around and make sure Eric was completely covered, as a result her body was pretty much frozen rigidly to the ground. "Ah… what are you doing here?"

"Surely you remember child, I said I would visit…" the older man's lovely creased lined face rose, his green eyes darted to the darkness past Ada's shoulder "… though it seems you're already entertaining a visitor…" he leaned forward, sniffing at the air "hum…"

Perhaps it was because Ada did not expect him to move so graceful past her and it took a minute for her head to catch up, but nonetheless she was startled to see Niall's shadowy outline suddenly standing over Eric's side of the bed. Even though the only source of light was the hallway, Ada could practically see the gleeful smile that broke out across the older man's face.

Ada felt sure that she should have been doing something to protect Eric, she had no idea what 'this guy isn't a vampire, I can't force him out… could I surprise him? Hit him with something?'

As she ran a hypothetical list through her head, the old man took in another sniff and tugged the duvet off of Eric. Ada heard herself squeak, as she finally moved, jerking forward in a weak and failed attempt to stop the lovely man.

"Ah Mr. Northman…" Ada skidded to a halt at Niall's words "I thought so…"

"Wha…" Ada's face lined with confusion, her eyes darted between the giant sleeping vampire and the odd grinning intruder. "You know him?"

'Is he a poster person?… did he do this to Eric?' If she hadn't been afraid before, Ada certain was now 'Man, Pam's gonna murder me…' her gaze dropped to the sleeping man in her bed 'He's so vulnerable and gone from the world right now…'

Her focus went back to the older man still staring down at the sleeping vampire "My dear you don't get to be my age without meeting, or at least knowing about, Eric Northman…"

"Um… what about your age?" Ada asked biting her bottom lip between her teeth, distractedly processing what he just said, working out his age, figuring out how to get him away from her and Eric…

The older man sighed, "It is a long story sweetling," he dropped the blanket back over the resting vampire.

Ada let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding, 'Now to get him the heck out of here…'

Niall turned to smile at Ada "I would be glad to tell you…" his eyes flitted around briefly scrutinizing the small, dank room "but perhaps in a less gloomily setting…"

"Read my mind…" she mumbled, running her hand back through her brown hair.

"You have no idea…"

'Why is he smirking like that?'

Niall shook his head, smile unmoving "Come along, we will go for lunch and I will explain it to you…"

"Great…" Ada fumbled around looking for a way to get out of this. 'Oh!' "I have laundry to do… at a Laundromat…" she wanted to clap her hands, until she saw Niall's unimpressed expression, clearly she'd have to pull something else out of her desperately searching brain "And…" 'Lunch! What's the time?' She looked at the screen of her phone, still in her hand, which read quarter to twelve. "I have to meet a friend so…" she trailed off. She could feel her resolve crumbling under, the older man's patient, penetrating watch. Ada had a feeling that Niall knew that she what she would do before she did it herself. "I'll just rain check with her then…" she spoke slowly, as though she was waiting for her mind to come up with something better before she finished her sentence.

Niall nodded, "Wonderful!" He began walking to the door that was still open.

"Great…" Ada muttered, confounded by what had just happened as she watched the man's back, she moved before she could really think "I just…" she ran forward, slamming the door shut and locking it behind the lovely old man, as soon as he stepped out "…need a minute."

In the dark Ada shuffled through what she could do and was going to do next 'Am I really gonna go out with a weird, stalker old man?... Why would I do that?'

"Darling, if you would like answers we should probably be on the same side of the door…" he seemed to understand her mental reasoning again.

"Yeah… be right out…" Ada replied, her voice gruff. 'Two honest to goodness stalkers in one week… every tween's fantasy…' she shook her head, 'Alright…' Ada puffed out a breath, deciding how to handle what was happening. She made her way to bathroom, texting Laura about having a meeting for a group project for school. Ada flicked on the bathroom light 'Might as well…' huffing she knelt, taking her detergent and fabric softer out of the cupboard under her sink, grabbing the dirty towels behind the door and putting the whole lot on top of the existing pile of dirty cloths, before she pulled the bag that doubled as her laundry basket up and out of its spot next to the sink.

As she went to turn off the light, she stopped for a moment, unable to resist checking over the pale man, now mostly visible under the recently moved duvet. "You'll be needing more blood…" she spoke under her breath, in her head continuing 'Or I'll just need to grow a brain and get you out…'

There was another knock "Dear, I am old, even short periods of time are no guarantee anymore…"

"Just grabbing my laundry…" She gave Eric one last look and shut off the light, before picking up the book heavy bag she had dropped by the bed and heading to the front door.

* * *

"If we hadn't had to wait for your laundry perhaps we could have had table cloths and cushioned seats…"

Niall had been insistent that they be seated and eating when they spoke, which lead to about fifteen minutes of Ada awkwardly trying to make conversation in the Laundromat a block from her apartment. It was clear that to find out about how this odd man knew so much about her and Eric she would have to actually have a meal with him, but if Ada wanted to keep her laundry from being stolen she had wait for it. Ultimately leading to about two and half hours of Ada doing her sociology readings and assignments next to a silently, seated Niall amusing himself with old pop magazines, occasionally he would mutter things like "silly", "strange", "little"… things that made Ada tune him out.

'Thank goodness for small loads' Ada had thought to herself as she folded her and Eric's combined coloured and black cloths. Niall had scoffed and at that point Ada had started worrying about how she would pay for lunch cum dinner, which lead to her worrying about the lack of food in her system and the possible impact on the growing person in her belly.

Niall had piped up that he would pay, so long as Ada chose where to eat. After arguing and finally deciding on a nearby submarine sandwich place they were finally starting to talk '… a whole four and a half hours later…'

"You're the one who wanted to wait to talk… So much for 'no grantee of time'..." Ada urged him to speak.

"Yes, yes. Well here we are." Niall gestured to the fluorescently lit sandwich shop.

Ada's patience was wearing thin, not that she didn't want to hear what was up with this guy, but the sunset was approaching. By this point in the month the sun would set anywhere between five thirty or six. 'And I still need to find a way to get blood... or make up my mind about what to do about 'him'…'

"I can see by your countenance that you are eager to be here and talk with me…" he spoke lightheartedly, his green gaze examining her across the table "but now that I think of it, what I have to tell you will not take very long… it is the specifics where the difficulties arise."

"Good thing I'm not too detail orientated…" her tone held an acerbic edge as she slouched back into her seat, waiting for him to begin.

"Very well. This'll be nice and easy then… I ask you let me finish before you ask questions" Ada nodded for him to carry on "I am sure you will not believe me, and there is no way to phrase this well, but I am quite positive that I am your grandfather" he let that hang in the air for a moment, Ada felt like a fish and a fool, her mouth went round as though she were going to speak but no words came out. She quickly understood why he had wanted her seated in a public place, where she couldn't cause a scene or fall over. Not that she could fathom doing either, she was simply able to shake her head to show her doubt, though with each passing second his green eyes looked eerily more like her own '… No way… how can he even be sure?'

"I assure you it is the truth… Even though you have been hidden from me since childhood, I can smell, sense it in your blood… not only yours but that of your unborn child as well… in fact I suspect that is what caused the potion to start to wear off…"

Ada's mind was reeling, for the second time that day she was frozen to one spot. There was still no sound coming from her mouth though she was now actively trying to move her tongue 'smell? Well, duh? What did you think of the sniffing Ada! You are an utter dimwit, but what is he? And what potion? Keep breathing… he's clearly insane' her eyes travelled around the half empty restaurant, wondering if anyone could notice her panicking.

"You are not a dimwit, wait until you meet your nieces and nephew, some blood lines removed, of course…"

'Did I say all of that out loud?' confused Ada tried speaking again, but found that with her tongue still limp that she could not.

"No, my dear you see it…" he pursed his perfectly curved lips, as he looked for the right words to say, though Ada was sure that word choice would not be a big issue for her at this very moment "... put plainly my son Dermot, left home rather unpleased with me. If had not been quite so selfish with the cloaking potion perhaps more of the young ones could have come out in public sooner, alas you would not been hidden so well and now that your father is dead it seem the rest of my kin and I will have to keep working…" not much of what he was saying was making much sense to Ada, 'What?'

"I suppose I should tell you how I know Mr. Northman, before I explain the rest. You see he I first met some centuries ago, when I had only just learned to control the impact of my scent…"

'The smell thing again, is it like cookie dough and money or… Wait, wait, wait…' Ada blinked at the handsome statuesque man before her 'Centuries?'

Niall nodded, Ada was surprised she was even able to register what the lovely, crazy man sitting across from her was saying and doing, he went on "It is the sun Ada… that is the common factor in all of our scents… and the thing there Ada is… that I am fae, making you a quarter fae…" He stopped speaking, his eyes roaming over Ada's face, obviously he could she was going berserk, frankly she was not trying to hide it.

'Fae? What the hell is a fae?' Ada was now definitely having trouble focusing on anything 'Like fairy?...' the memory of Pam in her apartment suddenly hit her 'Fairy! That was… she meant, sh-she meant _real…_'

"Sweetheart…" Ada's green eyes snapped up to meet those of the man in front of her. Too many things that shouldn't have made sense were making sense in the plotting of his story, things that need a magical explanation suddenly had one. 'No, no, no…'

"Yes" he offered sympathetically, nodding at the table top, where there was a small beam of light, pushing a salt shaker towards her. A small beam of light coming from his right hand, Ada gawked then looked around to see if anyone else had noticed. 'Nope, just me going hysterical…'

"You are not." He responded to her internal monologue, pulling back her attention.

'Are you legitimately telepathic?'

He nodded "And should the trajectory of the potion wearing off carry on as it has, I would think you will be soon too…"

"No." Ada finally spoke out loud, standing up, grabbing the bag of laundered clothing off the chair next to her. 'This is too much to absorb in…' she checked the time on her phone, not really caring, knowing this information was too much even for a lifetime. Not really caring, that is, in she saw the time read 5: 10pm 'holy crap! How does that keep happening?'

Ada was already halfway out of the door, with Niall calling after her, but now she was rushing even faster. The last of the sun's light was already disappearing, by time she exited the restaurant.

"You'll need help, Ada!"

"No I-" Ada had turned on her heel to shout at him, but was instead met with a flash of light and an empty and rapidly darkening street "won't…" she finished in a whisper. 'Where did he go? Of course no one else is around to see this…' she peered around the as the streetlamps flickered on. 'I don't care…' she shook her head 'you don't care Ada…'

"You left again little one."

"Ah!" Ada spun around to face the voice that had just breezed softly into her ear. "Eric goddamnit!" She yelled balling her fist up and punching his familiar gorgeous face with everything she had.

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**Hope you like it! Editing yucks, just won't bother with this one I suppose…**


	9. Chapter 9: Asleep

**Hi everyone! Hope everything about your summer's been good so far... Was in the middle of weird spell while writing this, sorry about editing.**

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**Chapter Nine – Asleep**

"… _Sing me to sleep_

_I don't want to wake up_

_On my own anymore…"_

– The Smiths

* * *

_ "Ah!" Ada spun around to face the voice that had just breezed softly into her ear. "Eric goddamn it!" She yelled balling her fist up and punching his familiar gorgeous face with everything she had. _

"My nose!" He cried, fangs extended in shock.

Ada dropped the laundry, drawing her hands up to cover her mouth, eyes wide and worried "Eric oh gosh! Eric I'm so sorry!" She rushed forward pulling his fingers away from his face so she could see the damage she'd done. "I didn't mean to, I just, I was so..."

"Angry, clearly..." Eric finished for her calmly pushing her worried touches away, holding her hands in his own to keep her back.

Ada relaxed a little, she could see his nose had already healed. "Yeah..." She shrugged not really wanting to delve into what had put her so on edge as he peered down at her, his blue eyes filled with concern.

"You are hurt..."

'Mentally? He can tell? Oh wait...' Ada followed his cool eye line down to where her hands were clasped in his. Under the icy circles he was tracing over her skin Ada could feel the sting of the punch that she had laid on him. 'Ow...' She winced noticing that the skin on her right knuckles had split a little 'that gonna be annoyingly painful' Ada hated getting cuts on places that bent and re-opened healing wounds.

Eric moved his grasp away, the sting on her reddening hand worsened without his frosty touch easing the burn.

Ada looked up shamelessly about to ask for his hand back, but what she saw him doing made her stop. He pricked his index finger with one of his fangs, it seemed that in the scuffle Ada had forgotten to be afraid of them, she certainly wasn't forgetting now. Ada backed away slightly, drawing her wounded hand towards her chest as Eric tried reaching for it again. He must have seen that Ada's green eyes were fixed on the sharp points, there was a retracting click and he raised his bleeding finger as though the explanation would be self-evident, moving towards her he spoke "Here" he reached for her right hand.

"What are you doing?"

"Here" he tried again though Ada pulled away again. He stopped stepping towards her and simply held out his non-bleeding open hand "Trust me..."

"Trust you? You just cut yourself like it was nothing..."

He stood still as a statue 'And one more loss at a staring contest...' She shuffled forward put her burning right hand in his cool one. His finger had healed, his fangs clicked out and he cut it again brought his the finger towards her torn skin. Ada clenched, already beginning to pull back "I don't... ah, I don't..." She didn't know what would happen, but the fear of turning or getting addicted was creeping up inside her, she had heard stories… 'you're such a dork … is that even enough blood for turning or addicting?' She asked herself.

"Don't worry little one. It will heal you. Look..." He rubbed what felt like a chilled balm on her hurt skin and as she watched, green eyes aghast, her knuckles healed in his hand. They felt amazing, they looked brand new and perfect, so much so, Ada almost wanted hit them against something to mark them up. 'I miss my scars.' She examined her fresh knuckles 'Kind of...'

"Wow" she craned back her head to meet Eric's gaze, she didn't know what to say, so what came out of her mouth was: "your awesome blood is way cooler than my boring blood..."

He inhaled as though he were relishing some pleasing morsel "Your blood is not boring..."

'Ok' Ada tugged away from him, "Just gonna take this…" she pulled her healed hand into her chest again "back now" his extended fangs again, came to strike her notice. The intensity in his gaze was making all of her actions feel rehearsed and wrong at the same time. "Oh look! The laundry" She leaned over picking up the laundry bag she had dropped. Swallowing as she tried to push past her own awkwardness she spoke "So you're losing a lot of blood, when I woke up your eyes and nose had some around them.. .what else?" She straightened up and stared at him, figuring it was a good a time as any to ask she nonchalantly added, "oh yeah and you were in my bed..." wanting to know but oddly frightened of what he might say.

The out of the blue response he provided came after a short pause "Do you know you talk in your sleep?"

"I-" Ada took a breath before deciding to be defensively offended "I do not!" she exclaimed up at him.

He grinned, a playful smile that lighted his face from his lips to his eyes, so warm that Ada felt the chill that had grown in her bones, from her meeting with Niall, leech away "You do, little one." He took the bag of clean clothes from her to carry "How could I move in time for sunrise whilst you entertained me so? Mumbling things…" his lighthearted grin widening "the odd grumbles were worth the trouble for the sweet things you said…" he began listing her insensible rambles, as they started walking back to apartment "…'my itchy toes!', 'those are my peanuts!', something about a something from 'Morgoth'" he teased Ada "… truly lovely phrases to hear tumble out of another's mouth…" as his eyes slid down to her mouth the cozy heat that had sparked in Ada flared, taking away even the smallest sliver of cold left in her.

Strangely enough it did not feel entirely uncomfortable, rather it felt like something glowing, keeping her safe and reassured, a sweet flame that that he was feeding, tending to and distracting her with. 'That's a whole lotta description Ada, are you penning the next great American romance novel?' Ada coughed, reacting physically to her thoughts 'romance?' she shook her head at Eric to show that it was a simple cough and not to worry. As she eyed him Ada forced herself to resolve at least this thing 'not _romance _… what then? Friendship?' she went on thinking as she chuckled at Eric's continued depiction of her alleged sleep-talk. 'Friendship' she thought resolutely 'And friends help each other. So I guess I'm gonna have to figure out how to help him… and he'll have to help me…' Ada resisted shivering, moving a little closer to Eric's side and away from the darkness that edged around her light.

* * *

By the time they made back to the apartment Ada had squished the rational voice in her head that reminded her that Eric could not protect her in the daytime, which appeared to be when Niall preferred to show up, and that she couldn't in any practical sense protect the blond giant, as was made apparent that very morning with Niall as well. She had cut those arguments out her mind as they entered her crummy apartment and she let the warmth she felt while Eric told her about herself burn what was left of it away.

However the voice that told her Eric had yet to eat would not be so easily silenced. Ada took the laundry from the vampire 'Shit sticks!' turning on her lamp, just as Eric shut the door 'I still have no money! Crap, crap, crap…' she thought to herself, shaking the clean clothes out the laundry bag on to her bed '…cr… what's that?' tumbling out with the last of Eric's clothes was something Ada did not expect… a roll of what looked to be 100 dollar bills with an 'N' marking the paper band holding the bills together.

"What is it?" Eric asked, he had already grabbed his shorts and t-shirt off of the pile and changed by the time Ada had looked up. She noticed that the ginormous man no longer seemed to have any qualms about wearing relatively 'new' clothes.

"Money" Ada spoke hardly believing it herself, she looked back to the wad of cash she was now holding between the fingers of her freshly healed right hand. 'Should I?...' she thought of the lovely old man 'I'll pay _him _back… How? You don't wanna see him again…' Ada wrestled with her moral compass for a moment before deciding 'Screw it.' Her green eyes flicked to an interested yet patiently waiting Eric 'Hungry vampire first, then questions of conscience… and bills' She added with a wince, pocketing the money, moving quickly to put the laundry bag and cleaning products back into the bathroom.

"Ah… I woke up too late…" Ada tried side-stepping all Niall related topics, instead choosing to explain what she was planning on doing, as she return to address the attentive blond vampire "… so, I'll go get you some blood…" Ada deciding to take some of the heavier text books out for this trip, readjusted the strap of her previously book heavy bag, looking back at the pensive looking vampire.

"Now?" Eric asked. "Truly…?"

There was some question in the way he was watching her, it hit her that he had known, or at least detected that she had been unsure of what to do with him the night before. 'Crap… certainly explains why he runs after me…' she thought how to dispel his doubt.

"If you're gonna stay here you'll need some…"Ada nodded, glancing at the time "Next bus for Wal-mart should be in a half hour…" she sighed, rolling her shoulders "better get going."

"I'll accompany you." He stated firmly.

"No, it's probably not a good idea for you to go out at all..." she tried reasoning with the obstinate looking giant "with people looking for you…"

"I insist" the wall of a man blocked Ada as she attempted to walk around him towards the door.

"Well" she huffed, planting her hands on her hips and barely resisting the urge to stomp her foot. "So do I."

Ada saw the boyish smirk on his face for a spilt second before the world became a blur and she felt her stomach drop out.

'He must have taken the stairs.' Ada was wrapped in his arms turned towards him, her chin dug in his chest as she craned her head back to look up at his forward facing head. 'Stop thinking about sinking into the lines of his body! Be upset! He's carrying you against your will…' she was about to voice her protest when the wind picked up and chilled her. 'Why is it so win…' she felt her heart stop as she glanced around, as much as she could with Eric's restrictive grip, to catch her bearings and looked down. 'Oh god…'

"OH GOD!" Ada clambered up Eric's frame fastening her arms around his neck and knotting her legs around his waist as tightly as she could, if he were human Ada was certain she would be crushing him, but he was not human, as made evident by the fact that they were currently flying. "Oh god, oh god…" Ada breathed against his shoulder, tightening her hold at her elbows making sure to lock her arms around his neck.

"Shh, little one, just hold on to me. I won't drop you… I swear it."

With eyes closed eyes, Ada clung to him , his words, his smell, his body, the warmth that pulsed in her as his cool voice soothed her. Even though she couldn't squeeze him any tighter Ada felt as though she were slipping, burying her face into his shoulder.

"Now where is this 'Wal-mart'?"

'Wal-mart?' she breathed deeply, swallowing her fear, making herself talk but also making sure to keep her green eyes shut. "It's ah… South I guess…" she spoke through clenched teeth. 'You can speak Ada! Ask him to put you down.' She tried but the tension had returned and overtaken her mouth.

"Ada" the voice sounded as though it was right in her ear. "Ada, we are here…" she pried her eyes open, to her side she saw green leaves and brown bark. Breathing in relief, Ada realized they must have really landed as her lungs fill with air her mind caught up with what had just transpired '…he landed…' Her arms and legs were still locked around his huge body.

"Oh gosh!" She dropped her legs and tried pushing herself out of his hold by bracing herself against his shoulders. His steel grip held fast around her waist while Ada tried to keep her wits about her, which in her current position was fairly difficult 'how do you wind up pressed against him all the freaking time?'

As much as she tried, Ada couldn't move without his cooperation "Eric…" she looked up at him exasperated, only to find that, his calm blue eyes made her fall still. Ada could see his nostrils flaring as he inhaled then slowly, far too slowly, he let her slip down his form until her feet touched the ground. Ada shivered, she couldn't seem to move her eyes from his 'Can't feel my legs, my knees are gone…'

A car backfired shocking Ada out of her stunned state. She jerked away from him run her hands through her brown hair and trying not to act too jittery. He had landed them in the trees next to the Wal-mart parking lot.

"I better go… and before you say it: You. Stay. Here." Ada added definitely pointed at the spot he was standing "we can't ris…"

Clearly she didn't need to explain the whys, as Eric agreed without her finishing "I will stay you just hurry back." His heavy gaze, under his wind mussed hair, was beginning to pin her to one spot again 'Brain! Ada brain!'

"Right, I'll be right back." With that she left the wooded area, trying to look as casual and natural as possible for someone wandering out of the bushes.

She rushed to the familiar aisle in the store, this time holding a basket 'how many do I get?' she looked at the chilled bottles 'he's staying awhile…' eventually she piled two packs of different blood flavoured into the basket. 'Get more if he needs it.' She quickly grabbed some pasta, milk and cereal for the week before heading to the cash registers.

Waiting in line it occurred to Ada that this had been the first time she had been truly alone in a while. 'With craziness suddenly banging at your door every living moment of the day…' she wondered how she had not gone insane. 'One thing at a time, maybe I'll go nutso later…' Ada thought to herself 'and it'll be all your fault, bug' she patted her stomach, remembering what Niall had said about the smell and the potion… She shook her head, 'I don't believe him…' Ada thought paying for her items 'Niall be damned though' she couldn't help the joy the rose in her as she found she had enough cash to pay for the expensive bill.

Eric had waited in the bushes, his blonde hair ruffled and his expression seemed relieved at her return.

No words but Ada could not help but want to blush and smile back at him. He held out his arms, at first Ada thought he wanted carry one of the bags but then he curled his fingers gesturing for her to come into his hold.

"No." she stared at him in disbelief. "I not flying again… the bus is right there…" Ada nodded towards the general area of the bus loop.

"I will have to follow you flying or on the ground, either way I would be seen by many people at that slow pace." He grinned as though he'd already succeeded, Ada tried to reason that the plastic bags wouldn't withstand the journey. Eric simply scoffed and shrugged, and if he hadn't already won what he said next clinched it. "Come along Ada…" holding out his arms, smiling so her knees vanished again "…let's just go home."

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**So hope you liked it. Again… felt weird while writing. Sorry about editing.**


	10. Chapter 10: In A Place of Lesser of Men

**Hi all! Thanks for all the support. I really appreciate it : ) Still can't shake the weirdness though.**

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**Chapter Ten – In A Place of Lesser of Men**

"… _In a place of lesser men_

_She walks from work at night_

_Blood on bait_

_But I don't worry_

_How come I don't worry?..."_

– Matthew Good

* * *

Ada had work that night. She had no idea how it deal with Eric 'will he stay here? Go for run? Stalk me again?' Fearing the answer may be the third one Ada fretted all day that Saturday. It had been two nights since the Thursday that Eric had flown with her, during the course of her panicked flight Ada had missed two calls and a text from Laura.

When Ada returned her friend's calls she was met with a clearly concerned sort of frustration. "You're lucky I have Ash this week or I'd…" Ada had let Laura mother and rant at her, while she put away her groceries. This relationship seemed to benefit both of them, especially when Ada missed her mother and when Laura missed her 7 year old daughter Ashley, or Ash. It was a long story but a judge had deemed an 18 year old Laura as an 'unfit' mother and given custody to of the two year old baby to Ashley's father and his new wife.

Laura always said if she had waited a month longer Ashley's father would have been 18 and she could have threatened him with a statutory assault charge when he filed for custody. Then again, she also always said that it had been for the best, that she had been 'messed up'. Now Ash stayed at Laura's two weekends out of the month and some afternoons after school. Ada had babysat the sweet girl when Laura had a shift she couldn't get out of, they would have dvd marathons watching horrible Barbie movie adaptations and playing cards. That Friday was a teacher's day or some such thing at Ash's school and Laura had convinced Ash's father to call in sick for Ash on the following Monday so she could take the 7 year old on a horseback riding trip for her birthday.

Ada had been grateful for the timing of the trip as it gave her a few extra days to figure out what to tell Laura. However, that Thursday night Ada had been so tired excuses didn't seem to be a pressing priority. By the time she had sent her love to Ash and wished them a good trip, Eric had washed his feet, changed into his robe and warmed up a bottle of blood.

'Shoes…' she had thought noticing his clean bare feet, making note to remember for next time she went to the store.

"Who is she?" he had nodded at the cell phone in swinging Ada's lazy grip.

Ada had wondered for a moment if she should tell him anything too personal, but his expression was so open and innocently interested she decided there was no harm in disclosing some things about her world to him. She spoke to him through the bathroom door as she got ready for bed. 'Nothing he hasn't seen before' Ada had reasoned about her bedtime attire, though she still darted as fast as she could to get under the covers.

He had sat on top of the bed covers, same as the previous night. As he had rested his giant frame back against the wall that acted as a headboard for the mattress, Eric noticed Ada's green eyes wearily watching him and he promised to move to the floor. For some reason when he did this her gut was hit with a stab of disappointment.

That night lying on her stomach with her head against her pillow, though she was half asleep, she told him about her life. Not everything, not the baby, not the painful things. He asked about Laura, the robe, the books, school, her home town, her name… She tried asking those same sorts of questions back but he still could not remember anything. Even through her scarcely open eyes and a half-conscious mind Ada could sense that thinking of his lost past did not make him at all happy.

She haphazardly flung her left arm out, in what she hoped to be a gesture of comfort, gripping his robe covered arm. Ada had blindly rubbed the fabric between her fingers, her muggy brain finally fumbled out a question that she was sure he could answer if he wished to. "Do you like your new clothes now?"

He had hummed in thought for a moment, the sound made any tension in Ada body trickled away. There had been a pause, long enough for Ada's mind to tip toe into the darkness of sleep. "They smell familiar now…" he had spoken softly "…they smell of you…"

Ada had woken up that Friday morning her hand still reaching over Eric's arm, fingers spread over his chest, she could feel the cool metal of the ring he wore around his neck 'must have moved when he stretched out…' when she had pull her arm back Ada noticed that the distance between their bodies was barely a hand span 'were we that close?' She didn't have much time to dwell on their spacing, the third alarm on her phone had gone off.

All that day she had been unusually tired, in the two hour tutorial following her first class, a boy across the room that she had bashfully and adamantly avoided making eye contact with tossed a well-crafted and well-aimed paper airplane at her head.

Ada had jolted, slurping a little and startling the two girls next to her, the teaching assistant for this philosophy class spent almost every class distractedly scribbling things on and talking towards the whiteboard, so he had not noticed. Ada looked at the boy across the semi-circle, he had opened his hands like a book suggesting she do the same with the plane. The inside read: 'You were about to drool on your extensive notes so here… keep these incase I was too late…' he had written notes for her to use… pages of notes, while the single page her notebook was open to was still completely blank.

'Argh! You little leechy rugrat….' She had taken a moment to berate what must have been the baby for draining her, before raising her embarrassed gaze, smiling and mouthing thank you to the brown-eyed boy. The other students had seemed to politely ignore her sleep and their exchange, except for the girl beside the boy, sniggering into his ear. Ada kept her eyes glued to the board for the rest of class. She had rushed off to her next class, before most people had collected all of their supplies and from that afternoon class she had rushed home.

'Home…' she had almost laughed at herself. Her apartment had never really felt like 'home' but now… she had buzzed with excitement that evening, it had been dark for about three quarters of an hour and she liked the feeling of expecting Eric to be in her flat. However, when she opened her door the place was empty and Ada felt sure that she had sunken through the floor, when a cool arm draped over her shoulders and a lighthearted voice from above had commented "hmmm…far less of a mess from the inside than out…" Ada elbowed him in the ribs, when all she had really wanted to do was hug and squeezed the daylights out of him '… he's still here!'

That Friday they had been watching bad TV, the Queen of the Damned had been on and had given Eric something to laugh at. He told her had gone out for a run and that he had watched her on the bus. 'So that was more than excitement…' Ada had remarked to herself recalling the current that had coursed through her on her way home, as she rinsed dishes from her PB&J sandwich dinner.

"What did I tell you about stalking?" she had asked tiredly, walking back to sit next to him in front of the TV.

His brow creased in confusion "Stalking?"

"…Well I guess I didn't say it out loud…" Ada had made sure to maintain eye contact, while trying not to be distracted by his pure blue stare "Any watching from a distance, without my knowing or when I cannot see you, is stalking and creepy and I do not appreciate it." She had ended believing she had defined the word and its affects well enough.

"Creepy…" he had sounded out the word as though it troubled him "how? I am only protecting you." He justified, his forehead still lined in incredulity.

"I don't need protection…"

"You did the night we met." He had been quick to reply.

"That was a one off, it must have been a blue moon or…" Ada had tried though she had been stumped by his intent blue watch once again. Frustrated she 'pffted' out a breath, childishly pushing the palm of her hand against his smug stone face. He had amused her by falling backwards as she pushed him. 'Like playing with Hallen…' she had laughed taken back to her childhood.

"Oh Gods!" he had chuckled playing along, he had changed his tune when her fingers had accidently brushed under his ear where he was apparently ticklish. "Ah! Mercy! Mercy!"

"I thought Vikings never surrendered!" she giggled merciless exploiting his new found weak spot, enjoying the upper hand she had on him 'a little power-mad there, huh?'

"To you I yield" Eric laughed "I yield! I yield! A thousand times, all that I have!" he had kept chuckling, his had words had made Ada stop, her face had fallen. She looked down at him properly, she could feel him smiling against the skin of her palm, that was still pressed across his face. His eyes were closed, one of his hands was gently holding hers where it was, over his mouth, he had inhaled then murmured "I yield." His words had her stuck, a new warmth hit her low down, she had become aware of her legs on either side of him… for a breath that was all she was aware of until his words were followed by the eye widening sound of a click, Ada had felt something sharp poke her, before her mind raced and she scrambled backwards off of him, off of the mattress on to the floor. Chest heaving she had examined her palm. There was nothing but a shallow pink mark, that showed where he had almost punctured her skin.

Eric had sat up on the bed stunned, his own hand over his mouth. Ada had opened her mouth to speak but what filled the quiet was "You thought it was all you? The ego of a king as well. Yes! I know you, Lestat. I know you crave to have the world at your feet. So I've come to give it to you…" in the funniest possible voice from the TV behind her. The contrast, the crazy fact that there was even a scared look in Eric's eyes, that she had just tickled a vampire had made Ada burst out into a fit of laughter on the floor one that made her hold her stomach and wipe her eyes.

When she had stopped, she was tired all over again. "This is a wretched movie." Eric had gone from being scared to breaking the silence after her laughter with a roll of the eyes at the TV.

"Stupidest darn thing, can't stop watching it though can you?"

Eric had smiled, almost toppling Ada over as she moved to stand, he nodded up at her from the edge of the mattress. "I can't seem to. It's as though I need to know how bad it gets…"

"Welcome to good-bad cinema…" she had sympathetically patted his shoulder "I'm going to shower, before bed… kay?" she had let him know as she headed to the bathroom.

It had been another quiet night of questions, that morning had been a quiet day of readings and assignments. Ada had kept herself from looking at Eric, kept herself from examining her palm but nonetheless in the day time with his clearly incapacitated form on display it was very apparent that this whole situation made no sense. When Ada could no longer ignore the waning sun she finally acknowledged the argumentative voice in her head. 'He keeps my mind off of Niall, he make me laugh and it doesn't matter why or how but I feel comfortable… for the most part' she looked at her unscathed palm, but instead of feeling a pang of pain or fear or thinking of what could have happened Ada was flooded with the joy she had felt and how easy their interaction had been.

He had been surprised to see she was still at home when he woke up. Smiling he watched from the mattress as she handed him a bottle of blood.

"So…" Ada began "I have work tonight." Her green gaze took in Eric, who simply nodded which perplexed Ada "And you're all right with that? What happened to prehistoric 'women should be provided for…'" she imitated his voice badly.

He chuckled, sipping his blood "It's understandable, you require money to live and that means working…" he stood, his blue gaze lighted with humor, "… besides the dogs in your life were obviously not suit for caring for you…" He grinned, his teeth wolfish "…but if you want 'misogyny' as I remember you calling it, I am here now." Eric bowed his head, prompting Ada to swipe at the ruffled peaks of blonde hair before her.

"Fine… but no stalking…"

* * *

"Adley, why so pleased?" Bobby had smiled at her when she walked into work. It had taken convincing to keep Eric from accompanying her. But as she looked at Bobby, Ada was happy that she had taken time to do so, Bob would have been heartbroken if he knew that she had fallen in with a 'fanger' like his sister had 'I haven't 'fallen in' though…' Ada told herself.

"I few days away from poles and glitter does a world of good Bobley." She had joked with him. Her shift had gone well, almost too well, Ada didn't know why but she felt happy '… Liar! You do to know!'

Ada shushed up the voice and felt the time fly by in the busy club. After locking up she took her usual route home. In the silver light of the moon Ada knew what she was going to do, she had waited until she had made it to the alleyway…

"Eric…" she called.

There was a swooping sound and a crunch of gravel beside her "Yes."

She sighed, realizing her attempts to keep in the house were all for naught "Well I gave it the old college try…"

He seemed to understand her meaning, as he sympathetically shrugged at her. As they began walking toward the apartment Eric asked "What sort of establishment is the 'Eager Beaver'?"

* * *

**Again another strange mood chapter. Sorry about editing and being in a little odd funk. **


	11. Chapter 11: A Wolf at the Door

**Hope all is well and you enjoy the weekend.**

* * *

**Chapter Eleven – A Wolf at the Door**

"…_I keep the wolf from the door_

_But he calls me up_

_Calls me on the phone_

_Tells me all the ways that he's gonna mess me up…"_

– Radiohead

* * *

They had fallen into a comfortable routine for those few days. It felt to Ada as though they were living in a world of their own, no one to answer to or explain to. Nights of accidently falling asleep next to one another, of talking, of joking and sniping had become normal. In such a short time Ada had revealed more of herself to Eric than she would have ever done to anyone else.

"I love these." He stated one night sitting crossed legged on her bed, watching and more often disrupting her futile attempts to read.

She exhaled a frustrated breath, Ada had tried to get him to go out for a run or watch TV but for the past hour he had refused and finally succeeded in keeping her from her philosophy readings. She shut her book, she had added boxers to her over-sized t-shirt for sleeping so now as she turned to sit cross-legged to face him on the bed it could be considered appropriate. "Love what?"

"These…" he took her arm in his cool hand, and tugged gently on the light hairs there.

"Oh…" Ada blushed, snatching her arm back self-consciously rubbing the thin body hair. "Why? They're so… ugly, just there to keep me warm…"

Eric smiled "Perhaps that why I love them, you are kept warm by them… and they are so human. Pam did not have any, but you do… you change and exist and need to be warm and protected…"

"Again with the protection thing… Eric I don't need…"

"Yes, yes I know little one." He reached out once more, the pad of his thumb running icy circle over her forearm "but you do need some shielding…"

* * *

"My mother was beautiful, a little bit crazy and a little bit shrill but definitely beautiful…" Ada had responded, when Eric had asked after nights of questions there was nowhere to go but deeper. "She had all of these tattoos… one for me and my brother over her heart" Ada pointed to her own chest "bats around her thigh" she traced the skin around her leg, "feathers across her side and a part of her ribs, a series of swirls like the sea up her calf" Ada reached up as she thoughtfully drew the last one over her skin "and for my father, a sun" she mapped out an intricately patterned circle over her of the shoulder, smiling as she recalled the lines "the beams ran down to her elbow and back and up her…" Ada stopped her index finger already halfway up her neck. She swallowed, dropping her hands into her lap daring herself to look up at him. As she expected his eyes were darkened, his mouth slightly slack but his had managed to keep his fangs retracted.

"Why the sun" he was quick to snap out of his stupor, she raised a questioning brow at him "for your father, why a sun?"

'Because that's likely what he smelt like' she could help Niall dashing through her mind for a moment, before she answered "M-my father was plain by outward comparison… but from the inside he lit everyone up" Ada lips tugged up in a fond recognition of that truth. 'He really did.'

"Do you know?" Eric blue eyes turned up to the ceiling as though he was trying to see through it, before his gaze fell back to the girl in front of him "that is what you smel…"

His statement was cut off by the sound of Ada's phone ringing. She was glad that it had, she did not need any definite confirmation of Niall's tales. "Wonder who it is so late?" she muttered curiously. there was no caller id. Ada could tell Eric was curious as well, 'Maybe it's Laura calling from the horse place… maybe she's in trouble. Maybe it's Hal in trouble!' Without a second thought she lifted the cell phone to her.

"Hello?" she asked, trying not to imagine the worst possible scenario.

"Do you remember the conversation we last had?" a cold voice spoke over the line "I believe it went something like 'yadda-yadda-threat- yadda- yadda Do. Not. Fucking. Hide. Him. From. Me.'"

"Pam I-" Ada started defending herself, but the phone was swiped out of her hands before she could blink.

Eric was speaking calmly into the receiver in that other language, though she could not understand him she could tell by his tone and expression he was not impressed with what his vampire child had said to Ada.

Soon enough he was holding the phone back out to Ada "She would like to speak to you…"

Ada reluctantly took the phone "Yes?"

"I suppose I should apologize. Even though past few days have literally been a rotting, living hell and having no idea where my maker was, while being watched like a goddam hawk unable to do anything was utter torture… I suppose should say thank you. I would do it in person, but it took me long enough to get to a secure line and glamour your neighbor, so by phone it is…" The sarcasm dripping off her words was barely concealed.

"You glamoured my neighbor?"

"Oh, don't worry that little human was so out of it before it hardly made a difference, I'm sure… I be more worried about myself I were you…" Pam spoke, falsely saccharine, quick to added "I mean what with a hunted, powerful vampire living in her home."

Ada's green eyes darted to Eric's huge form "Did you find anything on that front?"

"I found something, it didn't go… exactly as expected, but I'm working on it…"

"What does that mean?"

"It means I'm working on it. Just keep doing what you're doing and I'll have my maker back and out of your magic hair as soon I can."

"I-" Ada coughed, seeing the pained look that crossed Eric's boyish features and feeling that pain hit her surprisingly hard as well.

"Wonderful. I'll be in touch…" Pam hung up.

There was silence that held between Ada and Eric's unbroken stare. 'This is not the real him…' Ada felt the bubble they had built around themselves thin 'He's someone else in his real life...'

* * *

The next day Ada woke up to the sound of knocking on her door. Her fingers had found their way to the metal against Eric's chest in the night once again.

"Ada" she heard Laura's voice through the door. It was Wednesday morning and her friend had decide to show up without warning.

"Mumm… I'm hungry…" Ada heard Ash through the door, that kick started her into action.

"I'll be a minute." She called, wiping the sleep dust out of her eyes, she tied her hair into a ponytail and pulled on some jeans and a baggy sweater, grabbed her bag and rushed out of the door almost bumping into the mother-daughter pair. "Let's go to breakfast." She smiled brightly at Laura, who looked baffled by her friend's sudden wakefulness. If it had not been for Ash's whining for food, Ada knew she would have been in trouble.

"So how were the horses Ash?"

"Ooo! Auntie Ada they were the best… mine was Ono and he was small but so good."

"I bet" she smiled down at the excited girl, as they walked down the hall. "I mean you guys are back a day late aren't you though?" She looked up, addressing Laura now.

"What could I do?" Laura shrugged "Lil' girl beggin' tah stay 'n' all…"

* * *

Seated next to Ada, Ash was shoveling pancakes into her face at what must have been a world record rate.

"What did you do? Starve her?" She asked her friend across the table.

"Nah, her dad is just a bit stingy with the food choices…"

"And so you spoil her?"

"Just for her birthday," she glanced her daughter, who could not be less interested in their conversation. She looked over at the brown toast which was all Ada could seem to stomach for the time being next "That seems familiar…"

Ada nodded at her barely touched breakfast. "Yeah…"

"For me it was well into the fourth month, and all I wanted was grilled cheese and anchovies sandwiches…"

"Ew" Ada's face contorted in disgust, she pushed her plate further away, losing any semblance of an appetite.

Laura chuckled, "the heart wants what it wants" she offered with a shrug "…speakin' of which, you decided what you're gonna do 'bout the…" her eyes pointed towards Ada's midriff for a spilt second, before rising again.

Ada patted her slightly bloated but almost flat belly "I tried to… you know…" she attempted to convey what she meant with Ash sitting right beside her. Laura caught on and nodded, as Ada continued "… but I just couldn't…"

Laura's expression was completely sympathetic "How far?"

"About 7 weeks…"

"Jesus…" Laura mumbled, Ada could see her trying to do the math in her head.

"I know. Apparently I spent too much time wishfully thinking, before taking the test…"

"Did you get your first picture with it yet?"

Ada shook her head "Nope. Next Tuesday."

"I'll go with you" Laura stated immediately, but then her face fell "I have my dad's wedding in Colorado next week… Shit!"

"Mum!" Ash exclaimed, through a mouthful of pancakes and syrup.

"Sorry baby" Laura winced at her daughter, Ada had to grin at the girl her and her apologetic mother. Ada wetted a napkin in her glass of water and wiped the syrup off the girl's face.

"Aunt Adley!" Ash shoved her hands away "I can do it myself!"

"Oh? Is that so?" Ada asked, surreptitiously dipping her finger into the extra syrup on Ash plate, while the girl was distractedly proclaiming her grown-up state.

"Yeah!"

"Well make sure you get here" she wiped the syrup on the girls nose "and here and here" she swiped her cheeks "and here" Ada swiped Ash's chin, before the girl had realized Ada grabbed the plate and bottle of syrup away before she could retaliate.

"Hey! No fair!" Ash pouted.

"That's what you get for being too grown for me, monkey…" Ada teased, chuckling with Laura as Ash wiped her face with a damp napkin.

Ada looked back up at Laura, quickly trying to reassure her concerned friend "I'll be fine by myself, I promise… I'll call if it has like seven heads or something…" she smiled.

"Fine… but I don't like you being alone."

'I'm not...'

* * *

The next days had passed in relative normativity. Nearing the end of two weeks of knowing him, Ada was getting the swing of balancing life on a tightrope with Eric. Laura had noticed some sort of change in Ada but had chalked it up to the pregnancy and Eric continued to be a secret. So far the only people who knew that the vampire was in her home were Pam and Niall.

This fact was made abundantly apparently one lazy Sunday afternoon. Ada was coming back from the grocery store on the bus, when the feeling she had when Niall had been watching her crept up on her again. She looked around but saw nothing out of the ordinary, 'No creepy smiles… good sign, right?' Still she walked briskly back to home, the dark was inching into the sky. 'Of course the street is completely empty, how else would your stalkers have a shot Ada?' She was a block away from her apartment, when she knew she had been right to question herself.

There was a flash of light behind her "Ada."

"No." She kept walking.

"Ada, please" the clear female voice called.

Ada squeezed her green eyes shut before turning to face the stranger in the disappearing daylight. This stranger was just as lovely as Niall, she was stunning and kind looking, but the fact she must have been related to Niall's world made Ada instinctively want nothing to do with her. "What do you want?"

"I am Claudia, your fae godmother."

'Like Cinderella?' Ada cocked her head to the side "Seriously?"

"Yes, I am here to take you for safe keeping…" Claudia expectantly held out her hand.

"No." Ada stepped back, "I told him and I'm telling you now, I don't want anything to do with you all."

"I afraid it's for your own good. You don't really have a choice…" something about Claudia's loveliness melted away, something that Niall's had not done. The threatening glint in Claudia's eye had nothing to do with the sun's disappearance but was Ada's 'godmother' all on her own.

"I said no!"

"I say ye… wh- ahhh!"

Ada barely had a chance to catch up. 'Is that…?'

"Eric?" Ada had dropped her grocery bags and lifted her hands up to her mouth "Eric!" Ada stared stunned, rooted to the spot, as Eric was hungrily draining the fae, who was helplessly trying to beam weak spurts of light out of her hands to stop the ravenous vampire. "Eric! Stop it!" Ada feet finally listened to her, took a step towards the pair on the ground. Stopping when she saw what was happening to Claudia's feet and hands, her fingers were lengthening, turning into twig like appendages. 'What…' then without warning the fairy burst into sparkly fairy dust in Eric's arms 'the hell?'

Eric's head was drooped down staring at his empty arms, as though he was sorry she was gone. 'So much for being Cinderella…' Ada remarked to herself, gaping at what she saw.

"Eric! What are you doing?" The sound of Eric's satiate hum and the sight of him still kneeling over the pile of fairy dust , licking blood off of his fingers into his blood smeared mouth, caused Ada to panic. "Anyone could see! I… Eric?"

"I'm sorry" he grinned up at her lazily, something was not right, he looked up at her dazed and swaying a bit, for once Ada couldn't convince herself not to be scared.

"Eric…" she stepped towards him, filled with worry, as his face and body went rigid and he collapsed forward. "Eric!"

"Whoa!" he mumbled, just as Ada touched his shoulder, Eric started to unclench and stand up. He swayed, prompting Ada to try to help him up, though he could have crushed her she still tried pulling one of his arms over her shoulders to brace his weight.

He grumbled, Ada felt his nose push against the side of head. "Mmm…"

"Eric, I'm so sorry you're not feeling well but I need your help to move…" she tried, though he wouldn't budge.

"Mmmm" Ada felt the sound rumble from his chest down her body, he raised his hand to cradle her head pressing her hair against his nose, "Felt good…" his head dropped down his lips brushed below her ear, she was frozen "…want more, little one…" there was a click "want you…"

"No! NO! Eric please!" she felt the points of his fangs. "Don't hurt me! Don't hurt me!" Ada was practically whimpering.

The points pulled back "I would never harm you" as he spoke, his lips caressed the skin at her throat, right where Ada could feel her pulse thundering. She was torn, wanting to get away from him, but feeling for some reason as though she was betraying him by wanting to move away. Not that she could, he wouldn't let her go, and that was not helping the fear Ada felt for her blood 'why am I not fearing for my life?'

He grumbled, as Ada felt his tongue lap at her skin she decided fearing for her blood was enough "Eric let me go…" slowly his grip loosened, and she jump away as fast as she could. When she caught her breath and collected herself, she saw Eric staring at her, staggering in the moonlight and grinning goofily as though he were… "Drunk?" she muttered under breath in disbelief as she took in the sight before her. "No way…"

"Hey!" he sped to be millimetres away from her face "Catch me!" he sped away into the distance, going to at least four different spot all over the place, with time to wash his mouth and be back towering over Ada again before she could call for him.

"Eric, I think your…" she took a gulp, it was difficult to breathe let alone think with his nose so close to hers and his eyes burrowing into her own "… in your state you shouldn't be out, let's go back…"

"Nooo!" he whined "I wanna stay out!" He smiled, giddy as a schoolboy "I wanna see the sun!" He ran off again.

"Eric!"

He zoomed back, wrapping his arms around her waist he lifted her off of the ground, though she tried pulling back again "You can't! Please just come back inside and I'll…"

His lips were on her, it didn't take much for his tongue find its way into her mouth, she had gasped in surprise and unwittingly allowed him access. She pushed against him, once again torn her body and brain were trying to shove him away but her tongue was not getting with the program. Eric tugged her head towards his, burying one of his hands in her hair, his lips were soft but demanding, he kissed her as though he were a hungry man starving. The way he pulled at her lips, sucked on her tongue made her bones melt, while her stomach churned and dripped down to her toes. Her arms and her neck were all that were left to struggle against the searing electricity between them.

"No…" breathed his lips meshed against her mouth, and in a wisp of wind he was gone.

* * *

**Let me know what you think :) Excited for the next episode!**


	12. Chapter 12: Ballad of Love and Hate

**Thanks for the support!**

* * *

**Chapter Twelve – Ballad of Love and Hate**

_"… Love has been waiting, patient and kind_

_Just wanting a phone call or some kind of sign_

_That the one that she cares for, who's out of his mind_

_Will make it back safe to her arms..."_

– The Avett Brothers

* * *

"Oh my god! Oh my god!" Regaining the sensation in her legs was a feat for Ada even after feeling the tingles in mouth ease away from a kiss that had blown her mind to pieces. She shook the stars from her dazed green eyes "Oh my god! Oh my god!" Lolling her head back she peered at the sky, searching in vain, before spinning to check the area around her. "Eric!" Ada lifted her heavy feet and ran around the block in frantic desperation "Eric! Where are you?"

"Oh god!" She ran her shaking hands through her brown hair when she wound up at her abandoned grocery bags and the pile of glittering fairy dust. "Eric!" she called to the dark street.

'Maybe…' her green gaze darted about 'Maybe he's gone back home…' she thought to herself, picking up the bags and running back to her apartment.

* * *

By the time the sun had risen Ada had enter full blown fright. She had spent the entire night pacing back and forth across the small span of her grody apartment, pulling at her brown hair and running the same questions through her head.

'Who do I call? The police? Laura? Pam?... Oh god Pam! Pam is really gonna kill me now…' Ada would groan 'I can't call anyone, I don't even know where to begin to look. I'm such an idiot! All I can do is sit around and wait like an utterly useless moron… How could I think that ... You didn't think Ada!' then her mind would jump 'He wouldn't, he wouldn't stay out in the sun…' she would try to calm down 'panicking won't help anyone Ada. Eric will be fine, he'll find another corn field, he is not stupid… no, he's drunk… drunk as a god damn skunk…' she would cringe 'he's out of his right mind… he might find trouble, he might get hurt…'

Her stomach would twist in fear and the cycle would begin again. "Oh god!" the sun had been up for a half hour and if Ada had things to do that day she had forgotten them. There was no access to the building from the roof, the only way in was through the front entrance and the stairs in the lobby. 'He'd have to pass there…' she looked around her dim flat 'and I can't just stay in this stuffy room… I'll drive myself even more crazy…'

With that she left her apartment and headed down to sit by the front of her building just in case he happened speed or zoom or float by. Even in daytime it probably was not the smartest idea to sit out in the open in such a rough neighbourhood, 'but as you have proven time and again Ada you are not the brightest crayon in the box…' she sighed leaning against the building, she checked her phone '8:15 in the morning… I hope he's asleep somewhere dark and safe… ' she stared down at her open arms 'even if it's not here…'

* * *

_"Ada, my love, stop" her mother was giggling trying to bathe both a seven year old Hal and a four year old Ada. But Ada was not cooperating she kept sploshing around in the bubbles and making Hal laugh._

* * *

_"Daddy's home!" Hal called, scrambling down the hall and his shaggy blonde hair flopping as he ran to hugging their father's legs._

_ "Hello sweetheart!" their dad picked Hal up with a grin, "you been good for your mum today?"_

_ "He painted all over the kitchen!" Ada called, running towards her father, her shorter legs meant getting to him later._

_ "Hello there little darling," he picked Ada up with his other arm, nuzzling his nose against hers. "Is that true Hal?"_

_ Hal nodded, and before he could speak, Ada spoke for the bashful boy "Know how I wanted fishes and birds and a tiger? He drew it! Mummy said we could keep it, it's amazing Dad!"_

_ "I believe it, let's go see the masterpiece…" their father chuckled, his brown haired head shaking, as they walked towards the kitchen._

* * *

_"I did you do it?" Her brown-eyed mother asked her father, as Ada chunkily braided the older woman's blonde hair._

_ "I think so…" her father looked at Ada with weary blue eyes._

* * *

_Now Ada was listening to her imaginary friends. 'Where are they?' She could hear them all the time, sometimes they were scary, sometimes they were just like real people…_

_ "Hallen?" she was eight, she had wander down the hall to her brother's bedroom late at night, fearfully clutching Skowly, the stuffed animal, to her heart. _

_ "What is it, Ada?'_

_ "My one of friends is having a nightmare…"_

_ "So?"_

_ "It's scaring me too Hal."_

_ Hal turned, the light from hallway was streaming through the open door and fell over his brown eyes "Why? How is your friend's dream scaring you…?"_

_ She shrugged "It's just is…" Ada looked pleadingly at her brother, he already knew what she wanted, as this had happened for so many nights many times before. _

_ He sighed, lifting the covers "Just get in…"_

_ "Hal?" she asked after he had tucked her in and shuffled to face away from her._

_ "Yes Ada?"_

_ "What if they come back?"_

_ "They won't…" he mumbled, trying to sleep._

_ "How do you know?" _

_ "I just do."_

_ "But how?" she turned on to her stomach to draw patterns on his back._

"_I'm your big brother, I'll keep you safe…" He huffed a breath, turning to lie on his back "… that's the deal, ok?" he rolled his head to the side to look at her._

"_Ok" she smiled, kissing his cheek and falling asleep._

* * *

"_Drink all of that Ada" her mother watched intently as Ada drank her orange juice. She wouldn't let her leave the table before she finished._

* * *

"_You shouldn't do this Hal…"_

_Ada had gone to pick her 18 year old intoxicated brother up from a house party, something she had been doing since before she got her learner's permit._

"_It's the freak…" a voice called over the pounding music. Ada shut her eyes. She had stopped hearing imagery people when she was ten, but the grade school nickname stuck. 'Almost made it…'_

_Hal had become popular, he was good-looking, great at sports and smart. 'And a brilliant artist…' Ada always added with resignation, for some reason he had given up on actively pursuing that passion and did not really try to get good grades, though it seemed to Ada that he read everything and knew everything._

"_What did you say?" Hal stopped following her out of the house, turning to face the teasing voice._

"_Hal, don't…"_

"_I called her a freak… you're probably one too…" the lug of a boy sneered "look at your tatted up mother and your weird father… no way you're not all messed up…"_

"_Ohh, did you make a mistake…" Hal spoke stalking over to the boy._

"_Don't…" Ada called though it was useless._

* * *

_Later in the car, Hal blew cool air over his knuckles "Hallen, why did you do that?"_

"_I'm your big brother…" he offered simply, his words slurred a little._

"_Hal…" Ada sighed turning on to their street. "I'm not a baby anymore…"_

"_Hey, just 'cause you don't have nightmares anymore, it doesn't change anything" he teased, prodded at her ticklish sides in a silly voice._

"_Hal, I'm driving… this is your precious car remember?"_

"…_I'll keep you safe, that's the deal, ok?" he carried on, poking her "Ok?"_

"_Ok! Ok!" she laughed, pulling into his parking spot on the street in front of their house._

* * *

"_Mummy, what next?" they were in the school yard play ground, though she hadn't seen it then she could see now. Other mothers were looking disapprovingly at Ada's mother, in her short shorts and tattered tank top, illustrated body showing for the world to see. But to Ada, even now, her mother looked beautiful and if she had seen the looks as a child Ada would have defended her as Hal had done many, many times. If she knew what she did now, maybe Ada would have understood why her mother was so overprotective too..._

"_You mean for a tattoo?" Her mother ignored the looks and watched daughter nod. "Dunno… why don't you choose…?"_

"_Hmmm… how about Hal's waves?"_

"_His waves?"_

"_Yeah! On your leg" she pointed at her mother's calf._

"_What do you think Hal?"_

* * *

"_Hal?"_

"_What?"_

"_Are you just getting in, son?"_

"_Maybe dad."_

"_What do you mean 'maybe' Hal?... Hal?... Hallen Hult! You turn around right now!" Ada listened from the stairs "Jesus, Hal what happened?"_

"_Nothing…"_

"_What do you mean nothing? Look at the state of you! What's going on with you? Your grades are worse than usual, your drinking, your being disrespectful to your mother and I, you seem to have forgotten completely about getting to college and your family… what about Ada?"_

"_What about her?"_

"_You're kidding? She worships you Hal. She has since you were children… why are you doing this?"_

"_I don't know dad, why am I doing this…" there was a pause._

"_Wait Hal, let me…"_

"_You know what just shove it. And get the hell away from me…" the front door slammed shut._

"_Hal please don't…" their father's voice chased him out into the yard._

* * *

"_You are a freak…" Hal spat at her. "A freak."_

* * *

"_It's mum and dad, Hal… please, I don't know what to do…" He had left. When Ada was 16, after almost an entire year of calling her names and pushing away the family. She had found treating him coldly was the best way to cope, otherwise it was too painful. Suddenly she was 18 and her parents were gone and in a weak moment she reached for him._

"_You'll get nothing… not from me. I'm selling the house, I'm selling everything… when your 21 you get yours…"_

"_Why do you hate me so much Hal?"_

"_I…" he had stuttered the bitterness lifted off his expression for a minute, and she saw her brother again briefly, before the cold him was back "Don't fight me for anything Ada, you won't win."_

"_I don't want to fight you Hallen… you're my brother, why would I do that?"_

* * *

"_Shut up! Shut UP! SHUT UP!"_

* * *

"Little one…" Ada blinked her eyes open from her odd trip back down through her past, she realized that must have fallen asleep outside, 'annoying baby…making me dream, making me...' the bright sun was still in the sky, blinding her tired eyes and she was wondering how long she had been out there for when '… Little one!'

Before she could even really get a chance to look, she jumped on him, wrapping her arms around his neck her legs around his waist, making sure he was truly there "You're here!" 'He's back!' "You came back!" She somehow ignored the incredible thirst to press her lips against his and feel what he had made her feel the night before.

"Of course I did, where else would I want to go?" she felt him sway a little as he held her.

'Is he still?' She pulled back, taking him in, blue eyes clouded and lips drowsy smirking "Are you still drunk?" she looked at the phone still in her grip over his shoulder. It read '10:45 am'.

"I am a vampire, we do not get… _drunk…_" he snickered out the last word.

"You're not meant to survive in the sun either…"

"The sun?" he smiled lazily up at the yellow spot in the sky, his cool eyes dropped back down to hers, she felt him raise a hand to toy when her hair "It is beautiful. Oh! I have to show you something!" he suddenly seemed to remember and became as excited as child at Christmas. "It's a surprise…"

"No! Eric we don't know how long…"

"Hold on…" she didn't want to look, Ada knew they were in the air and burrowed her face into his shoulder.

"Idiotic, suicidal vampire…"

* * *

**Sorry about editing once again.**

**Enjoyed that episode, the series is doing better! Yay!**


	13. Chapter 13: Costa Rica

**Sorry about the editing and odd timing of chapter releases. Not so great at scheduling…**

* * *

**Chapter Thirteen – Costa Rica**

"…_I wanna leave this place, yeah, to never be found_

_I wanna leave my old life far behind_

_Can I lose my name, be someone new?_

_And I'll throw my trouble deep in the wild blue…" _

– Vince Vaccaro

* * *

"Isn't this place amazing?" He had landed them on the sunny sandy waterfront. Ada looked up to see a huge cliff face bordering around three sides of an isolate patch of sand.

"Incredible" Ada muttered.

"Not that!" he turned her to face the ocean "That." He point out to the rolling blue waves crashing against one another.

'The ocean?' "Ah Eric, this is a lake right? Please say you didn't take us all the way to the sea…" the panic set in anew as he nodded, 'How am I meant to get him back if he starts frying?'

"I took us South…" he inhaled, smiling at the salty horizon "It's beautiful isn't. It was another thing I found to be familiar, a part from you…"

Ada followed his gratified gaze out over the water "Vikings were famous for being sea folk, so I gue… Whoa! Eric what happened to your clothes!" he had stripped while Ada had been speaking, she moved her eyes away, staring anywhere but at him.

"I can't wear them swimming…"

"Swimming? Eric I don…" Ada had no idea what had happened but next thing she knew, her shirt was off and he had swooped her up to pull off her jeans and shoes. "Holy crap! Eric!" Thankfully he had left her in comfy grandma panties and bra, but she still tried to cover herself up. "What are you doing?" Ada looked down at the blonde giant crouching at her feet, tugging off her socks.

"It will be fun…" he grinned up at her his teeth glinting in the sunlight, playfully tickling her toes as removed her oversized socks. He moved to stand, his chest brushing against Ada's as he did, his fingers ghosted over the small bloated patch of flesh low on her stomach. "Mmm, I love this too. Very soft, very warm…"

She would have bright burned red if they hadn't suddenly propelled into the water. Ada spluttered, clinging to Eric trying to catch her bearings, as her vision cleared and she saw over his shoulder, she realized exactly how far out to sea he had taken them.

"Eric!" she let go of the fact he was uttered naked and pressed up against her in favour of wanting to smack him, they were too far away from shore. 'How the holy hell am I meant to get back from out here?' She pushed against his arms, halfheartedly trying to hit him.

"Come, come little one." He grinned at his eyes still dazed and his voice dripping with lazy amusement "I will be Ægir, God of the Sea! And you will be Rán, my sea goddess…" he pulled at her though she kicked her feet at his slippery legs, his hands held on, pressing gently into the skin on her back.

"We're too far, there could be sharks, there could..."

"No..." his laughter boomed out, Ada was growing tired of futilely trying to struggle against him, gasping for breath she stopped pushing against his cool, wet body. He took the opportunity to pull her up his frame, her head rested against his chest as she caught her breath, feeling the rumble of his voice against her ear as he spoke "I will kill all the sea monsters… shar-arks, haaien! Show yourselves!… see nothing there…" he teased out towards the expansive blue around them "Just hold on to me… nothing will harm you" Eric took her limp arms and tried wrapping them around his neck again, he tried the same with her legs around his waist. After a few times of him trying to keep her limp limbs in place he asked, his voice sounding small and confused "Why will you not hold me as you did before?"

She felt her defenses wan a few inches, 'Oh boy! If that isn't designed to kill me I don't what is…' but it was not enough to distract her from the fact that she was not happy with Eric.

"Because I'm tried, you aren't listening to me. Eric, it isn't safe, we have to go back…"

"Go back?" Finally he pushed her away, he kept hold of her shoulders, but held her at arm's length, which for Eric was pretty far. "Why would I do that? I want to stay here. Stay with me Ada. Have fun with me."

'God his eyes, that mouth, his entire face should all be illegal…' a warmth melt her stomach, Ada knew she was fighting losing battle with herself… 'Damn it just do what the Viking says…' "Fine!" she shouted, splashing as much water as she was able to at his face.

It wasn't much but it was enough for him to return her grin and let her go, to give her a chance at a head start before he swam after her.

Soon though Ada found that the current was too strong for her to keep any steady pace, and the waves were too choppy for her to stay afloat properly by herself. They had laughed and tickled and splashed for a while. After their exhausting wrestling they ended up with Eric laying on his back, and Ada once again trying to catch her breath, once she had enough air she blushed noticing the position she was in, her legs still wrapped around his waist, though now it looked as though she were straddling him… 'a very nude him…'

"What were you dreaming of?" Eric asked reflectively, just as she was considering climbing off him, despite being bone tired.

"What?"

"When I found you, you looked troubled." He raised his hand, smoothing an imaginary line of worry on her forehead.

"I-" she looked down at his blue eyes, they were so sincerely filled with care and concern. She took a breath "I was dreaming about my brother and my parents, about how I came to be where I was… where I am…"

"And this made you sad?" he asked, his hand moved over her shoulder and down her arm.

"Yes, it did" she bit her lip unable to deny that the past was something that confused her and that she felt badly about. 'Be honest Ada… the future too' she could not help but cringe at the thought of the money that she had been living off of in the past week, the bubble she had been living in since she decided to ignore the voice in her head 'and with fairies popping up out of the blue and the baby coming…'

"I do not want my past either… but like where I am" his voice broke through her grey thoughts, she suddenly became acutely aware of his thumb tracing light circles just over her hip bone, her pulse thumped in her throat. "If you stay here with me you could like it too."

"Stay here?" she pushed past the tightness in her chest to speak to him as though she were talking to Ash about the reason why the girl had to go to bed so early. "I bet when you get your memories back you'll be surprised that you wanted to live this way, I bet Pam wou…"

"Do not speak to me as though I am an infant…" as quick as a flash he was right-side up and holding her up so he could look directly into her green eyes. "I do not need to be patronized…" Ada would have chalked the outburst to a basic drunken mood swing, but there was something behind his anger. Some sort of emotion that made Ada feel a cross between anger and sadness.

They did not have long to linger on it though as something new entered his gaze "Eric, your eyes…" Ada watched, in horror as the veins in the white of his eyes, became a more pronounced shade of red.

"Ada something isn't… right…" he winced, crumpling forward, his forehead pushed against hers.

"Can you…" they were at the shore before Ada could finish her question. At the rate he pulled on his clothes, Ada got the impression he was trying to cover as much of his skin as possible.

"Eric…" Ada handed him her comfy huge socks to cover his feet, without speaking she wrapped shirt around his head and her jeans around his neck. "Maybe you should go to ground?" she tried. He shook his head.

"Home" he muttered, he scooped Ada up and they were flying again. She spread her hands over his face, making sure he could see a little through the thin gaps she was allowing between her fingers. Her fear of flying was not at all being helped by the knowledge that Eric's energy levels were likely decreasing very quickly, and that he was probably going to boil in his own blood.

"Eric, please, please hurry" she pleaded for his sake more than her own. The wind had dried their wet skin, the chill was hitting her bare skin sharply, she would have been consumed by it if the alarming contrast of Eric's flesh slowly warming up wasn't so apparent.

They were landing, Ada knew the shaded area as they neared it, it was very close to her apartment "I'm sorry I can't fly anymore" he handed her, her clothes.

"Should you dig?" Ada asked her heart pounding in against her ribs, as she tugged on her clothes and her shoes over her bare feet.

"I think I can run…"

"Run then… I'll be right behind you…"

He nodded, she saw his skin was turning a pinkish colour as he vanished in a blur. Ada didn't stop to breath, she made sure that nothing that looked like a burning hunk of vampire was anywhere in her path.

She only let herself gasp in relief when she saw Eric huddled in the darkest corner of the hallway in front of her apartment door. Ada quickly unlocked the door, warming a bottle of blood and making Eric drink it before he got anywhere near the bed. He started to heal, Ada swallowed her fear, pushing him to lay back for sleep so he could recuperate though now he was resisting her wishes once more.

"No…" he looked up at her so completely broken in the way he gazed at her "I don't want to leave the sun…" the way he spoke was as slurry and drunken as ever.

Ada tried to comfort him "You aren't, you've still got the stars. They're types of suns but just really far away and you still have the moon too an…"

"You're doing it again. You're treating me like a child…" he pushed her hands away from his shoulders, pulling at her hips so his head was level with her stomach "I want the sun in your hair, on your skin, in you…" she felt his nose press against the bloat on her belly, her legs turned to mush and wobbled under her.

"Eric…"

"That creature I drained she smelt similar to you… irresistible, but in all honesty I prefer you. You can be kept alive and soft and warm…" he hummed as Ada tried getting to him ease his hold on her. She pushed at his arms, then tugged gently at his blonde ruffled hair. 'You're treating me like a child…' his words echoed in her head, Ada knew why she made herself see him in that way, if she saw him in any other light it would be as though she were taking advantage of someone who was not himself, someone vulnerable...

"Eric you need to sleep…"

"You too." He replied.

"Yes, fine you stubborn man… just lay back and I'll sleep too." He relented at last, falling back and not shutting his eyes until Ada rested next to him.

* * *

Ada woke up to the sound of her alarm, it was Tuesday and her doctor's appointment was in forty-five minutes. She still smelt like the ocean, but had no time to shower. She checked on Eric and was relieved to see his skin had fully healed and he was fast asleep. Before she darted out the door she decided she didn't want her sheets to smell like salt, she grabbed her second set of sheets out of the bottom of her closet, writing a note for Eric to change them and stating she was at school in case he woke up before she got back.

* * *

He hadn't woken up when she returned. The sun would be out for another half hour, maybe… Laura had texted Ada after the appointment, but Ada ignored her. Actually, if Ada was truthful she did nothing to actively ignore anything at all. She simply could not seem to focus on anything properly. She seemed to have to snap herself out of a haze every few minutes.

She drifted to the bathroom, after getting home, undressing and shutting the door as she went. Ada meant to shower but what ended up happening was her turning on the water and sitting on the floor of the bathtub, drawing up her knees. She curled inward, pushing her forehead into her arms and letting the water run down her back. "How did this happen?"

* * *

**Hope everything's going well. **


	14. Chapter 14: Follow

**Hi, hope your summer's been going well. Just watched the season finale… Wow… Also, my apologies about the editing, I'm sure it's as bad as ever.**

* * *

**Chapter Fourteen – Follow**

"… _Hold on my darling_

_Hold on my sweetheart_

_Everywhere we go babe, I'm gonna use my heart so_

_Follow me my darling_

_Follow me my sweet heart…"_

– Michael Bernard Fitzgerald

* * *

The water had made the air as foggy as Ada's own mind, the hot water was running out but Ada couldn't make herself get up.

"Little one?" His soft voice prodded through her sodden haze. "I knocked but… you've been in here since I woke up… Are you unwell?"

Ada kept her mouth clamped shut for fear she might either scream or vomit. 'Melodramatic much?' Her current situation tromped through her brain 'No'.

"Ada?" She could hear the worry in his tone and was vaguely aware of the shower curtain being drawn back.

He had shut off the water, his hands were pulling at hers trying to pry her arms open. "Kära, please you are frightening me…"

Ada let her muscles go slack, 'Kära?' she meant to ask but she couldn't do anything more then let him stand her up. The blonde giant shrugged off his robe and wrapped her up in his scent, in his cool kind of warmth. And Ada let him, not just because she wanted to but because she needed to… needed him to take care of her, stand her up and dry her frozen skin.

She looked at him his blonde hair wet from pulling her out of the shower she enveloped her hands in the oversized arms of the robe and wiped his dripping hair back.

His lost blue eyes scanned her face as she spoke meekly "If I asked you to hold me really tight together, could you do it for me?"

Eric nodded slowly, lifting and laying with her. He did as she asked more completely than she could have hoped for, she felt his legs wind around her own and his large hands bury into her brown hair to cradle her head to his chest.

She felt small, she felt more than over dramatic and she felt that she wanted to tell him… needed to tell, so that she could begin to digest it herself. "Could I tell you something?"

"Anything Kära."

"I – I…" Ada stammered, all at once she was nervous, more than that she was crying. She wanted her mother, she felt so empty and lonely, as though she were falling apart. Ada drew her body impossibly closer to Eric's, he obligingly tightened his grip on her. 'This is so after school special…' "I'm pregnant…" she felt herself cringe as the words left her mouth.

There was a moment of stunned silence. "You are with child?"

"Children…" Ada squeezed her green eyes closed "I didn't even sign up for one and I got two."

"You are with child." He repeated.

Ada nodded against his cool skin, increasingly happy that he had not pulled away from her, she nuzzled her nose into his chest.

"My lousy ex-boyfriend's… And mine, I guess…" she could feel her breath warm his skin.

Ada was sure that she felt a noiseless vibration shuddered through his chest "But the man…" Eric voice was filled with thought "… the boy, he left, he gave up right to you and them, they can be claimed by anyone now…"

"Claimed?"

"Yes, Kära…" His voice drifted off.

'What is he talking about?…' the hold that she had craved before… she still craved it but his words made some her tiredness fade away and her eyes pop open, she was on the verge of pulling away from him. "Um, Eric… What do you mean by that mean exactly?"

He must have sensed the tension building in Ada, that was readying her to pull out of his grip, he tugged her closer drawing her up his body a little as he turned to lie on his back, his long legs still somehow entangled with hers "Accepting a child into a family is a great honour and a cause for joy…"

'Is this a remnant of another Viking-ism?' Ada thought to herself, as his voice seemed heavy with time, in the same way it was when he talked about the few things that he could still recall. 'It makes sense…' she tried to remember her high school history classes '... think that more children meant more workers and raiders and whatever else they needed in those days…but now…'

She sighed, it seemed that this new position, agreed even more with her tiredness 'talk… explain Ada…' "Eric I get how that might have been the case when you were um... young, but a kid is expensive and tiring… two is going to be crazy…"

"They would not bring you happiness?"

"They…" Ada stopped short, with a huff she snuggled further into him "That's not the point…" she mumbled against him.

"The point is not that you are left alone without any offer to keep you or claim the babies?"

Though she had been talking about expense before, Ada felt a small flare of anger at the notion that she needed to constantly be taken care of "Keep me? Jeez thanks for that vote of confidence…"

"I meant no offense…" she could hear the smile in his tone clearly trying to lighten the shadow that had suddenly fallen "Though… you did choose such a man…"

Ada let her eyes close again "That I did… it's just strange I think I knew what I expected from him, not this…" she thought of what was happening in her stomach, "but the kind of person I expected from him, that was what I got… it's probably best this way…" her brow furrowed, as she tried working it out in her speech "I if there was a way for this whole thing to be 'best' it wou…" Ada puffed out an exasperated breath, tired of explaining something that she apparently couldn't she muttered, "I really thought I'd be able to… I mean I really did want my kid to have a Skowl though…"

"A scowl?"

"Yeah, a Skowl... You know half skunk, half owl?" she nestled against him.

"Beasts such as these exist?"

"Oh! No, no they're…" Ada coughed, her eyes opening, she could feel the embarrassed blush rising in her cheeks "well it's a 'Wuzzle'…"

"A wuzzle?" Eric seemed even more lost, as he thoughtfully ran his cool fingers soothingly over her scalp.

Ada went on, unable to resist closing her eyes again "it's from a show in the 80's, a cartoon. My mum loved it and she gave Hallen and I the 'Bumblelion' and 'Skowl' that she had when she was a kid…" Ada chuckled at the memory "Hallen was such a goober, he grabbed the 'Bumblelion' and ran as fast as he could with it, teasing me the whole time..." she grinned remembering how funny her big brother was at that age, "But my mum, you know, she said that Skowly would grow on me and he did… I kept him 'til…" 'everything went to shit…' the grin faltered "'til I moved here and Hal sold the house."

Ada refocused on Eric, who she could hear was contemplatively muttering the word 'Bumblelion' his musings expressing his failing attempts to work out what she was describing to him "You humans are odd things…" he finally resolved.

"Well, you probably lived through it… could have stopped us anytime…"

"But then you wouldn't be smiling like that…" she felt his chilly finger trace over her lips. 'Must have felt it on his skin…'

"I guess not."

* * *

_There was a green knoll, children were running towards … them… him… 'us'?_

_They're so happy… giggling and all together they are so happy, so together. _

_They pull on his… 'our' blonde hair, fallen loose from the shoulder length braid , a mark of honour. They laugh and sing and play, they talk of their day. Their dirty little faces are full of joy._

"_You listened to your mother today?"_

"_Yes, father."_

"_And while I was away?"_

"_Yes, father."_

"_Good boys. Where is your sister?"_

"_With mother… did you find glories… did you find treasure… father?" the boys tugged on his… 'our?' mud encrusted fingers._

"_Yes, go see your grandfather he will show and tell of our victories. I must see your mother."_

"_As you say father…" they ran into the distance, to great hall their feet kicking up dirt as they ran. The youngest, with his long brown hair, turned back and ran to his… 'our?' legs and hugged them "I am glad you have returned father."_

_He… 'we?' ruffled our fingers through the boy's hair "I am as well… go run, or your brother will surely beat you there."_

'_We?' he walked to a house, a familiar 'is this familiar?' home "My honey…" when 'we' he walks in there is 'our?' his baby daughter 'we are happy.' Take off the sword first, before picking up the tripping, walking girl._

"_Erik!" a familiar woman 'she is familiar…' she hugs and kisses 'we are so, so happy.'_

"_She has grown…" the baby grabs at his 'our' hair and gurgles and smiles. _

"_She has, my love…" this woman is a good woman, familiar 'is she familiar?' His 'our?' dead brother's wife. 'A good woman' she has given him 'us?' children. Beautiful children. He 'we?' smile at the girl in his 'our?' arms._

'_We are happy…'_

* * *

Ada woke with a start, she was incredibly comfortable, wrapped in strong arms and legs. Beautifully and happily unable to move in the safety of his grasp.

'Such an odd dream…'

"I don't believe so… it was nice though…" a voice in her home, at her bedside spoke.

Ada turned as best as she could to see the familiar frame of Niall Brigant, he had drawn the black blankets up a little off of the window and was outlined in a sliver of sunlight.

It may not have been rational but her thoughts in order were that Eric would burn if she did not pull the makeshift curtain before the sun shifted in the sky, that she could not move in the blonde giant's hold and finally that someone that should not have been was currently in her apartment.

"Wha- Wh…"

"You should learn to lock your door, my dear."

"I was a little distracted when I came in…What are you doing here? What do you want?"

"I told you I want to know you and help you…"

"Help me?" she recalled Claudia and her glittery exit from the world she was sure Niall had cringed "I think I can live without it…"

"Can you?" despite the shade in the room Ada could make out the faint outline of another roll of money, she flushed in embarrassment recalling the fantasy she had indulged in, living for the past week as though she had money to spare… Niall thankfully went on lowering his hand back down and sighing as he spoke "… we are not all the same, Claudia and her lot are a faction of lost causes I'm afraid… I apologize for the impression she gave of us… no doubt you now know why the draw of our blood is so great…"

Thoughts of Eric walking around and playing in the sunlight flitted through her head, then another scene involving Eric came to her mind "Why did you say it wasn't odd?"

"It was odd… it simply wasn't a dream. I may have been curious…"

"Curious?"

"Rarely is there an opportunity to peer into the mind of such a powerfully old being and between you, your children and I… not to mention how particularly stuck together you are at the moment."

Ada impulsively tried pulling out of Eric's grasp again, momentarily forgetting that his cool hold was impossible to wriggle out of 'Damn it' she felt the familiar chill of bare stomach press against hers where the robe had parted in her struggle. She growled in frustration before collapsing against the blonde giant's chest.

She could hear Niall chuckling quietly, "Do not worry the sun will be setting soon…" Ada green gaze returned to the older lovely man who continued, "As for your future I do believe you are right to worry about this fantasy… you have many thoughts that you should not ignore Ada school finishing up, money running out and…" a curious expression crossed the man's face "an older brother…"

"Stay away from him…" Ada immediately spoke, a panic filled her "don't go near him…"

Niall shook his head "My dear, you speak as though I were the devil himself…"

"You may well be…"

"May I?" his green eyes flicked to Eric's face "I suppose 'better the devil you know' isn't it?... Ah well" he rolled his shoulders "so long my sweet granddaughter…"

"You're just leaving?" Ada asked surprised by his abrupt decision.

"You cannot be sad to see me go…" he commented moving towards the window to pull the blankets back properly over the glass "I have things to do my dear… people to avoid, children to sire…"

'That's more than enough…'"Ok bye" Ada interrupted him.

Moving again he chuckled, Ada heard the front door open "Until our next meeting child" with that the door clicked closed.

Ada had no idea what had happened, she was sure it could not have been more than one minute since Niall had left, but she must have fallen asleep because she woke up to the feel of lips being dragged up the column of her neck, she could feel a large hand travelling down the naked expanse of her stomach. The robe had moved, she could feel a cold pressure against her chest, she had been moved too in the dark, she felt the soft bed under her as she now lay on her back. Before she could say anything, even gather her thoughts a desperate cold kiss burned against her mouth. Drinking her breath, her senses, her thoughts "… let me work, and live with you, Kära" Ada could make out through her hazy mind as the lips speaking meshed against hers. "I will be yours and you will be mine…" his tongue lapped down her throat.

She had to pant to catch her breath, her green eyes closed, hands mindlessly pushing against his shoulders, pressing her up body against him, his growl sent electricity running from her toes to the tips of her brown hair. As his open mouth pushed further down her sensitive skin Ada could feel the sharp points of fangs against the soft flesh above her heart at the top of her breast. For once she could not make herself care, she could not make herself think, all she knew was she did not want him to stop. Her hands found their way to his hair, he growled again. The hand on her stomach moved lower to the bloat in her belly, "we will make a home, together…"

All at once her make-believe life crashed away and Ada found it in herself to be frightened.

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**Sorry about editing. Feel like I need to watch the episode again to sort out where the season ended up… darn those fairies and fanatics.**


	15. Chapter 15: Possess Your Heart

**Hi. Hope all is going well. Sorry about editing/ pace. Thanks for all your support.**

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**Chapter Fifteen – Possess Your Heart**

"_How I wish you could see the potential_

_The potential of you and me_

_It's like a book elegantly bound_

_But in a language that you can't read just yet…"_

– Death Cab for Cutie

* * *

He was very, very good at making fear melt away… or at least his lips were. He moved so quickly, she had no time to think, let alone act. His mouth had moved between her legs and had found her middle, she her toes curled as his tongue swirled against her, she felt liquid as her fingers dug into his hair pulling his sucking mouth closer. "Don't stop…" she groaned, her eyes falling shut again.

Ada was vaguely aware of his big arms wrapped around her thighs, as he growled and licked against her skin "Never…"

It took a moment for it all to register 'against my skin, not my…' She jolted to sit up as best as she could, light headed and horrified "Stop…" she stated weakly, trying to push his blonde head away. Alarmingly he only grunted in response, burrow further into her flesh. Panic spiked in Ada, and though she felt drained she found in herself to push harder at him. "Damn it Eric! Stop it!" He grumbled tightening his grip, as she tugged at chain on his neck trying to pull his head away from her, images of Claudia's glittery death ran through her mind, and if Ada hadn't been afraid before she was now "Stop! Eric! Get out of my house!"

There was a gasp. Ada pulled the robe, that had fallen open, back around her body as she watched Eric being dragged away from her, out the door, where he stood, nude, staring in at her… confusion written all over his face, blood dribbling down his chin. 'My blood…' anger suddenly took over her, before she knew it Ada had stomped to the door, barely noticing his aghast expression as she slammed the door shut. 'You stupid girl…' Ada leaned her head the shut door.

"Ada" his frightened voice spoke through the thick silence. "I'm sorry" She felt something wet and warm leaking down the inside of her right leg "Please let me back in…" a stinging feeling was building in her right thigh "I meant what I said, little one … please let me be here with you…"

Ada couldn't focus, the more warmth that seeped down her leg the more drained she felt, "I need to sit down…" she mumbled hazily to herself.

"Please at least let me heal you…" his desperate voice came through the door again.

'Heal me…' Ada's green gaze moved down, she lifted the blue robe to the side a little 'he bit me…' a wave of dizziness hit her, making her lean more of her weight against the door.

"Please Kära…" a sincere type of pain had entered his tone as he softly scratched at the door.

As she took in a shaky breath, bits of information that Ada had heard throughout her life were flooding her brain. 'There's a major vein there or something… if it doesn't clot. I could…' unconsciously she moved her hand to her stomach. Gathering her strength she squeezed her eyes closed opening them only after she had opened the door.

Though she had to look up at him, Eric seemed so small and fragile. He reached out causing Ada to recoil, pain flickered anew across his red rimmed eyes … 'Can vampires even cry? Oh yes…' she felt a loopy grin on her lips as she recalled "…like Jesus…" A weakness rushed over her and deciding that she did need his help, Ada slumped against the doorframe sticking her bleeding leg out at him. He wasted no time, dropping to his knees in front of her.

She was vaguely aware of him muttering in another language and the cool grip of his fingers on her leg, the mending warmth spreading through the mark on her thigh. Ada let herself sigh and fall against the doorjamb more out of relief than anything else. 'That feels nice…' she mused to herself, sleepily opening her eyes, almost smiling until she saw him with his eyes closed, nuzzling, practically purring against the sensitive new skin of her thigh.

He did not hold on or stop Ada when she yanked her leg out of his grip. He didn't even knock or call out for her when she closed the door and scurried back into the apartment. Ada thought he might have left but the next morning, feeling as though she had spent an entire night out drinking, she opened her door to find the naked vampire sitting looking stone dead opposite her. 'I have to move him!' Ada had panicked for a moment thinking of the bounty on him, she tried keeping her eyes above his waist 'Cover him first. The robe is his anywa…' her racing thoughts came to a sudden stop, she hadn't moved from the door her green eyes stuck on him on the floor in front of her.

"No…" After while of considering, "God damn it!" Ada creased up her face, resolving "It's mine." With that she locked her apartment and made herself leave the building without looking back.

* * *

"Phew…" Ada had managed it for the day she had caught Hannah on the phone and had gotten some time off of work under the pretense of having to study, which was partially true. But the main reason had been that by avoiding work she would also be able to avoid Eric by ensuring that she spent the least amount of time outside of her home at night as possible.

During the day she would pass by his body still in the hall, still naked. 'He must glamour people…' she mused, unsure of how he managed to stay safe at daytime when he was in his most vulnerable state. Ada could not help herself though if she was home and heard people in the hall she made sure to check on him. For two days she tried not to care about whether or not he was eating. Just before the dark on the third day Ada found herself warming a bottle of blood and placing it just outside her door.

To his credit he did not take the bottle as invitation, though she saw the drink gone the next morning, he had not made any attempt to bother her. And yet she was bothered.

Over that time she had pretended it that didn't matter. Everything that he had said had meant nothing, he had no idea what he was talking about… but while she was buying groceries or researching for her family studies paper or lying to herself, Ada kept on remembering what she had seen and Niall's words after she had seen it 'It wasn't a dream…' she had somehow wandered into Eric's mind. Witnessed his memories through his clear blue eyes, seen his children, his wife, his capacity to be the man he said that he wanted to be for her and her unborn children.

'Why did I shove him away?' she thought of Pam and a shock of fear ran through her '… whatever he may have been, he did wind up spawning that… offspring…' Still Ada would find herself staring at him as he slept, considering what could be, fantasizing for a while thinking about brushing his disheveled blonde hair back 'You can't Ada.' she would end up scolding herself. 'I can't.' she hated the longing that would fill her.

So this was safest she was sure of it. Ada had called into work and found Hannah's familiar sweet Southern voice on the other end of the line. "Bob figured you be drowning this time of your semester again, hun… you come back in a week or so when you're through with exams and papers…" Hannah went on "Your rainy day fund's still there right?"

"Yeah Hannah" Ada had to smile, the busty dancer was always on everyone at the Beaver about proper money management and retirement funds. Ada had been only been fibbing a little, while her retirement nest egg was still all tied up, her immediate personal finances were entirely dependent on the money that Niall had given her 'I'll pay him back' Ada thought to herself as she reassured Hannah that she would survive for next week at least.

Her nights were managed, leaving her days for schooling, which she had gotten so far behind on that Ada had to take herself to the campus every day. Books that she could afford were only in the reference section and only on loan within the University library, online journals from computers the local library could only get her so far. In a way it had been far more convenient for her, to focus, to be a way from 'him' for a majority of the day.

"Wha… whoa!" Ada woke up with a start when something prodded her arm. She felt drool on her chin, wiping her chin and blinking away the sleep, figuring out where she was sitting.

"Hey there." A kind, but obviously amused voice greeted her from above, she raised her green gaze to see the cute boy had appeared. The cute boy, who sat across the way from her and had chuck notes at her in their philosophy tutorial. 'Oh man!' Ada straightened up in her seat, brushing back some of the frizz of her hair.

She looked up at the dark-skined boy then down at the open document window on the computer in front of her.

"I didn't mean to scare you…" he smiled making Ada blush.

"You, um, you didn't…" Ada tried to compose herself, but was finding it difficult when the guy that she had a crush on, that she could barely look at in class was actually speaking to her… after yet another embarrassing moment.

"Good. Just recognized the book for philosophy," he nodded at the open library textbook next to Ada's keyboard "thought I should you might wanna hand your paper in…"

Ada's green eyes went wide 'Crap!' she checked the time on the computer. '7:51!' The paper was due for electronic submitting at eight but Ada had meant to finish at four, so that she could make back home before sunset. While she did finish on time, it seemed that the babies had their own plan. Ada had only meant to close her eyes for a minute. "Damn…"

"Want me to proof-read, real quick?" the cute boy offered.

Ada had temporarily forgot he was there, she turned her head to speak to him "This is my last one. I couldn…" she stopped when she saw how genuine his smile and need to help was "Ah. Yeah, thank you." Ada got out of her chair with some difficulty, the babies had really started to affect how she had to maneuver to do things. The bump was still hidden, under her usual attire of extraordinarily baggy clothes, so Ada was well aware that as she struggled to move she simple looked like a '… like a noob, Ada.'

"No problem… just finished mine this morning, so it's all pretty fresh up here" he tapped his head as he sat down and began reading. Ada waited, twiddling her thumbs and trying not to think about how cute and nice and cute this boy was. As she took in more of his appearance she realized that under his zip-up he was wearing the blue and white uniform of the Jaguars, the varsity basketball team. 'Must have had practice…'

Before she could ask, he turned to grin up at her "God! My paper sucked. Well done. Double A pluses for you…."

"You think?"

"Uh huh… final touches and everything…" his brown gaze became distracted as he turned back to the screen and proceeded to submit Ada's paper to the online drop box for her.

"Th- thanks again. That's twice you saved my bum for this class and I don't even know your name…"

"Well Ada." He smiled widely, lounging back in the chair and facing her after logging off her school account "I'm Nathaniel. But it's Nate to my friends…" held out his hand and stood up, causing Ada to have to crane her head back.

"Caught my name on the assignment did you?" Ada shook his hand.

"I'm just stealth like that." He gave a good-hearted chuckle.

* * *

Ada and Nate had been having a great time. He had just come from practice and insisted on getting something to eat and before she knew it Ada was coughing up fried rice in laughter as he explained how his sister used to dress him up as Hulk Hogan.

"… And I was so skinny, it was crazy. People would say Hulk Hogan and I fall over…"

Ada had laughed and been watching him all evening. Her green eyes wondering and thinking 'this could be easy…' she could not help but think of what life with Nate could be '… no blood or guts… just human…' they had paid their bill and were walking towards the bus stop. Nate clasped her hand, acting out the pain from the time his dorm mates had made him wax his legs on a bet. The streets were quiet, making the sounds of laughter all the more loud. As he held her hand Ada had to note how warm he was.

For some reason Ada still felt as though she were betraying someone, specifically the blonde Viking in her hallway and maybe even herself. She thought of everything Eric had said and offered, to tempting and good to be true. She thought of her unborn children, but still she was met with images from his memories… things that he was capable of… 'Can't…' she shook her head. 'Ada you can't…'

She had been a little out of it when she heard someone shout the n-word Ada was brought back to her sense "The black fuck from the Jaguars." The shouts were coming from a group men in front them, who looked to be middle aged and it was getting louder as they got closer. "I had money on that game last week boy… lost a lot 'cause you won…"

'Eric…' she prayed, thinking of the last time he had come to her rescue. Ada's eyes were wide, she was shaking and looking up at Nate for some sort of direction. She didn't know what to do and Nate was utterly stone-faced, he had stopped walking and seemed to be waiting for something.

"Nate…" Ada wheezed, wanting him to give her some sort of direction. As though he suddenly realized she was there Nate focused his brown eyes on her, and worry filled his expression. Realizing that Eric was not coming Ada began shivering, she wanted to close her eyes and wake up somewhere else. She thought back to that day 'in the ocean with him… that where I want to be…'

"Look man. I'm sorry you lost money. Maybe…" Nate tried to smooth things over.

"Maybe…?" the man smiled threateningly, coming closer with his friends in tow.

Perhaps if she had not been there he would have fought, gotten beat-up or even killed. But now Nate looked at her again, squeezed her hand tightly and whispered "Run."

She didn't need to be told twice. Unfortunately the babies did. Ada was out breath and dragging her feet before long. Out of nowhere something hit her head, the shock of it kept the pain at bay. "Bitch." She kept trying to go on but found it harder and harder, she pulled her hand out Nate's and wrapped her arms protectively around her belly.

Nate was shoving people away from her, Ada felt her breath catch was she saw him get punched. "Stop!" she screamed. She could feel something seeping through her hair, she didn't need to check to see what it was, she didn't really get time either. 'I have to fight…' Before she knew it someone had shoved her to the ground, she saw a black boot raise above her head 'this isn't happening…' everything was in slow motion, before the sole smashed into her face all Ada could only think to scream at the top of her lungs "ERIC!"

'Oh god…' her head smacked hard against the pavement, she wasn't sure if she could see anymore. Everything was muffled and blurry "Er-gur- gh -ric" she gurgled out his name, her hands still immobile and clasped around her stomach. She felt another force bang down into her chest. 'Can't breathe…' she gasped, but she couldn't find any air. The pain was coming now, the surprise had worn off. 'He didn't come…' Ada watched the fuzzy slow motion figures above her, looking out past at the dark night sky for what felt like hours 'I can see the stars…'

A familiar blonde head suddenly popped into view.

'Eric!' Even in her sleepy state Ada had the energy to feel enough joy to try to smile.

"Little one…" He talking but his voice was distorted, she could see him bite his arm and push it to her lips. She shut her mouth 'No…' she rubbed her belly. She felt a cool hand over hers, lovingly holding the same place "You will die Kära." He bit his wrist again "And I cannot have that. Now before I force you, drink." He had propped up and his skin was against her mouth again.

Ada had only meant to open her mouth to speak, but one tiny taste and her eyes fell shut, she was hooked. She didn't know where the energy had come from, but now she was clinging to Eric's arm as though he were the key to life. And as far as she was concerned he was. Salty, life-giving and addictive. She could feel herself healing, she felt warm and whole. She was vaguely aware of Eric's arms twisting around her pulling her to lean against his chest. As she moaned against his wound, licking and sucking unsure of what had come over her, she could feel a rumble from him. "That's enough Kära." He sounded as though he were in in pain, his nose was brushing into her hair as he tried to tug his arm away. Her eyes still closed, Ada's lips followed the source of delicious life, before she felt a cool arm wind under her arm to push at her chest and force her to lay back against him. "That's enough…" he muttered as she drifted off to sleep. "I have you."

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**Hope the next update is soon.**


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